A Stamp Space Walk

India's The Hindu reports, "When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon, it meant a ‘giant leap for mankind’ and a small sketch on a historic stamp. A pint-sized stamp can tell a story that changed the way we see the universe, while a collection can trace the history of space research, is what the philately exhibition underway in the city proves.The expo is a trove of information for philatelists, astronomers and anyone intrigued by the mysteries of the unknown."

"It may be rocket science, but the collection depicting space shuttles, rockets, launch vehicles, cosmonauts, space walks and space stations decodes the developments, "  writes reporter Olympia Shilpa Gerald.

Gerald goes on to say, "The first exhibit commemorates the landing on the moon on May 21, 1981, followed by Apollo-Soyuz missile. Stamps tell the story of Apollo lift off on July 15,1975, second flight of space shuttle Columbia on November 12, 1981 that returned in two days after 36 orbits and third flight of the shuttle- a special record, being the first lift-off under the shuttle development programme on scheduled time.

"The second collection boasts of space firsts, including the first space walk, satellite (Sputnik), animal (Laika), first man (Yuri Gagarin) and woman (Valentina Tereshkova).  

"A separate section dedicated to India in space has first day covers and stamps portraying father of the nation’s space programme-Vikram Sarabhai, the first Indian satellite ‘Aryabhatta’, and INSAT satellites."

Shown above, students having a look at the space stamp exhibit.

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