On June 21, 2004, test pilot Mike Melvill flew SpaceShipOne (N328KF) on flight 15P, climbing to 100.1 km. No government money paid for it: Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites built SpaceShipOne and Paul Allen funded it. A few hours after landing, Melvill became the first licensed U.S. commercial astronaut. Four months later, SpaceShipOne went on to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize, and today it hangs in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
This cover was made for that historic day:
- The cachet is titled “World’s First Privately-Funded Manned Spaceflight” and shows Melvill standing atop SpaceShipOne holding his famous “SpaceShipOne, GovernmentZero” sign.
- It’s franked with the 37¢ Wright Brothers First Flight stamp, a fitting link between Kitty Hawk and the edge of space.
- It carries a red Mojave, CA June 21, 2004 cancel.
- The back is blank, sealed and unaddressed.
Condition: Very good, with a slight scuff on the right side. Please see the photos.
Price: $19.99 with free shipping.
