Fifty years since the first manned Moon landing, Australia Post is releasing a commemorative stamp issue to mark one of the 20th century's defining moments. On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong infamously took some of the biggest steps for mankind, and with it, etched himself and the occasion into world history.
Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said the stamp release celebrates the magnitude of the occasion but also Australia's small but significant part in it.
"The stamps celebrate the historical Apollo 11 mission through a global and local lens, to appeal to history buffs, the general public and collectors alike. It notes the role Australia played in telecasting the historic event to television sets over the world."
Designed by Gary Domoney of Visua, a Melbourne-based visual communication and brand strategy agency, the four $1 domestic base rate stamps feature:
$1 Lunar module Eagle: The Apollo 11 mission comprised three spacecraft: the command module Columbia, a service module, and the lunar module Eagle. The Eagle was used for descent to the lunar surface and served as a base while the astronauts were on the Moon.
$1 Parkes radio telescope, NSW: With a diameter of 64 metres the CSIRO Parkes radio telescope located in central-west New South Wales is one of the largest single-dish telescopes in the southern hemisphere dedicated to astronomy. Officially opened in 1961, it was one of two Australian stations to receive the signal from the Apollo 11 spacecraft when the Moon was hidden from Earth's Northern Hemisphere.
$1 First Moon walk: Around seven hours after landing on the Moon, Armstrong prepared to plant the first human foot on another world. With around 600 million people watching on television, he climbed down the ladder and proclaimed: "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."
$1 Telecast via Honeysuckle Creek, ACT: The first nine minutes of the telecast, including the moments when Armstrong first set foot on the Moon, were transmitted from NASA's Honeysuckle Creek tracking station, near Canberra. The 26 metre dish opened in 1967 for the purpose of supporting the Apollo program.
Products associated with this issue include first day cover, stamp pack, maxicard set, booklet collection, medallion cover, and four booklets of 10 x $1 self-adhesive stamps.
The 50-year anniversary Moon landing commemorative stamp issue is available from 16 July at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps, while stocks last.
