ORBIT Early Soviet Propaganda-Design Satellites By Don Hillger and Garry Toth 2) One or two shark-like fins attached to the main body of the spacecraft. Sometimes only one of these fins is seen, with the other hidden on the opposite side of the This article examines a propaganda-design satellite that was spacecraft; widely used in the past as a substitute for the actual designs of some satellites launched by the USSR. This Soviet 3) One or more sets of three radial antennas, with the propaganda-design satellite is commonly shown in early three antennas in each set attached to the spacecraft body space-age postal items. On many of the stamps that include at a single point. Generally, one antenna in each set is it, the text mentions various satellite names such as Kosmos, perpendicular to the spacecraft body and the two others Luna, Vostok (East), or Voskhod (Ascent). These satellites are are at about a 60 degree angle from the spacecraft body. known to never have had the design shown; the propaganda design was used in lieu of realistic satellite images for both Most propaganda designs have all three design elements; un-manned and manned missions. some are missing one of them. The propaganda design may have been a compromise Early history of the propaganda design between the stamp and cachet designers, who wanted to depict the new spacecraft, and the Soviet censors, whose goal was to keep secret as many aspects as possible of their The first appearance of the early space programme The propaganda design was used to propaganda design generically represent various satellites, for lack of better (actually, a design variant) is images. It was used repeatedly for a number of years until on a stamp issued by actual satellite designs on postal items were permitted. Bulgaria (Scott C85, Michel 1280) in late 1961 to It should be mentioned that the primary propaganda design represent “Vostok-2”, as featured in this article is a particular style incorporating indicated in the text. The features that are detailed below. Other non-realistic designs, image on that stamp, part or design variants, were used as well, but they were not as of a set designed by P. Rusinov and G. Popov, has only two widely used as the propaganda design discussed in this of the three distinguishing features described in the article. previous section, lacking only the shark-like fins. It was followed by a Distinguishing features of the propaganda design Russian postage stamp (Scott 2586, Michel 2595) from Most images of the propaganda design have at least two of early 1962, the first the following three distinguishing features: to contain all three of the principal 1) Three or more paper-clip-like antennas on the bottom of propaganda design the spacecraft, similar to those that were carried on both the features. The base and sides of the Soviet Sputnik-3 satellite (e.g. designer of that Mongolia Scott 554, Michel 570, 1969; and Cambodia Scott stamp was I. L. Levin 1101, Michel 1179, 1990; both of which include reasonably (reference "Catalog of Postage Stamps of Russia, 1857- accurate drawings of Sputnik-3). Unlike Sputnik-3 however, 1995", Pevzner, A. Ya. (et al) editors, Tsentrpoligraf there are no similar paper-clip-like antennas on the sides of (publisher), 1995, page 168). the propaganda design. In the Cyrillic text at the right of the Russian stamp , the word "Soyuz" ("Union") is part of a quote from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev: "Socialism - this is that reliable launching pad which the Soviet Union uses to launch its space ships." Therefore, the stamp was not intended to show the Soyuz spacecraft. Rather, the satellite on this item is often mis-interpreted as being Kosmos-3, since the stamp was issued on the launch date for Kosmos-3 (1962- 04-24). Although the propaganda design has some features similar to those seen on Sputnik-3, it has a more cylindrical body 1 ORBIT and a more rounded nose than the conical Sputnik-3. At the More examples from other base of the cylindrical body of the propaganda design is a countries larger diameter ring or collar. Orbit editor Jeff Dugdale noted in a September 1995 article published in Spaceflight Another propaganda representation of that this fanciful design reminded him of a “thimble and “Voskhod-2”, as indicated in the text, is collar”. seen on a stamp from Albania (Scott 817, Michel 942) from 1965. The propaganda-design satellite subsequently appeared on Czechoslovakia issued a stamp (Scott many other postage stamps, mostly from Eastern Block 1233, Michel 1463) in countries in the 1960s, but appears to have outlived its 1964 with a usefulness thereafter. propaganda design for Yuri Gagarin’s “Vostok- Other Russian examples 1” that is quite similar to the propaganda Russia used the design found in propaganda Bulgaria Scott C85 design in 1963 (already mentioned). on a pair of nearly identical In 1965 Bulgaria used a issues (Scott propaganda design variant 2733 and 2733a, Michel 2748-2749, only the first of which is (in Scott 1394, Michel 1521) shown). The design lacked the shark-like fins, but had the to show a “Voskhod” other features. The spacecraft is noted as “Vostok” in the spacecraft, in which the fins small text on the body of differed from those seen the satellite. In 1964 the previously. Burundi, propaganda design was however, stuck with the used for a Cosmonautics primary propaganda design Day (12 April) issue (Scott in 1965 (Scott 131, Michel 172). The 2889, Michel 2900), along same stamp also appeared in a souvenir with a picture of Yuri sheet of two stamps (not shown here, Gagarin, and supposedly for an image see the authors’ online also his Vostok spacecraft. information). When the design re-appeared on Soviet stamps in 1965 Cuba used the primary propaganda (Scott 3015, Michel 3032 and Scott 3016, Michel BL38) it was design in 1964 (Scott 878, Michel 942) again missing the fins. In this case the satellite is noted in and again in 1967 (Scott 1285, Michel the text as “Voskhod-2”. The set was issued for the historic 1354). The latter item indicates . first spacewalk of Alexei Leonov “Cosmos” (possibly as a reference to the Kosmos series of Soviet satellites) in the text. Both designs from Cuba have just one set of three radial antennas. 2 ORBIT One of the more unusual uses of the propaganda design was adopted by Ras Al Khaima in 1966 to supposedly represent the American Gemini spacecraft (Michel 54), because the stamp shows Astronaut Thomas Stafford. A realistic image of Gemini would have been available, as the design of Gemini was widely published. Hungary likewise used the primary Successive overprints of this item, as well propaganda design in 1962 (Scott as an accompanying souvenir sheet, can C219, Michel 1864) for “Vostok-3” and also be found. “Vostok-4”, as noted in the text. Furthermore, in 1964 the design was re-used (Scott B242, Michel 2056) for a Romania issued two stamps (Scott C135-C136, Michel 2134- 37th Stamp Day issue. That latter 2135) in 1963 with smaller renditions of the propaganda stamp was part of a souvenir sheet of design. Both indicate that they are for “Luna-4” in the text. four stamps (not shown here). Jordan used the propaganda design in 1965 on an imperforate souvenir sheet of one stamp (Scott 496a, Michel BL18), which also later appeared overprinted (not shown here). The latter item was specifically for “Voskhod-1”, as noted in the overprinted text. Both of these items were yet again overprinted in 1966, but with a realistic Voskhod design (again, not shown here). Although nearly all of the propaganda designs on postal items were issued in the 1960s, the design still persisted into the early 1970s with an item from Fujeira (Michel 963) issued in 1972. The item again shows the spacewalk of Alexei Leonov, supposedly alongside Voskhod-2. By this time some postal items were already showing realistic images of Voskhod, so this use of the propaganda design would not have been necessary. Poland issued two stamps in 1963 with the primary propaganda design, one representing “Vostok-1” (Scott 1183, Michel 1442) and the other representing “Vostok-3 and 4” (Scott 1185, Michel 1444). The fins on these spacecraft Many other propaganda designs, or designs with some of the are seen from the top and are not obvious at first. three primary features, can be found on postal items. However, most of those images are quite small, making it hard to discern the details. Interested readers are invited to check the authors’ website for additional items; there are too many to include in this short article. However, the authors have attempted to include in this article all the stamps with the primary propaganda design. In the following section are discussed the propaganda designs as found on satellite launch covers. 3 ORBIT The most-widely-used Tartu Club “AA” cachet, which was used on numerous Kosmos launch covers (this one is for Kosmos-35) Other types of Tartu Club cachets with propaganda satellite designs are less commonly found, some with the TKK acronym and the AA designation and/or AA numbers. See the authors’ online information for examples of these other Tartu Club cachets, as well as many other different cachets with propaganda-design satellites. The last known use of the propaganda design on a launch cover is found on a Kosmos-272 cover from 1969. This cover is one of many known fake Baikonur-canceled covers, which were backdated to the dates of significant space-related The Propaganda Design on Launch Covers events. Many other examples of the propaganda design on launch covers are found in the online information provided The propaganda satellite design also appeared on many by the authors. launch covers for early Kosmos-series satellites, starting with Kosmos-3 in 1962. The Kosmos-3 cover shown has a cachet with the same spacecraft design as on the affixed postage stamp (Scott 2586), which has already been mentioned as not showing Kosmos-3. Nevertheless the cachet has “Kosmos-3” in the Cyrillic text above the spacecraft, as well as “Kosmos-3” in the text of the cancel. (As an aside, the Kosmos name itself was used to mask the details of the early Soviet space programme. Many satellites carried the “Kosmos” name in order to keep their missions and technical details secret until after their launch. If the launch was successful, they were then given other names more closely related to their missions.) Additional online information More than 20 different cachet designs with propaganda images, and even more colour variations, can be found on A checklist of postal items showing Soviet propaganda-design Russian launch covers, nearly all of which were for Kosmos- satellites (http://rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/ series launches. There are also a few cases of the propaganda.htm) is available as part of the authors’ website propaganda design in launch covers for Vostok-3 and 4 and for Un-Manned Satellite Philately (http:// Elektron-1 and 2 (not shown here). rammb.cira.colostate.edu/dev/hillger/satellites.htm). Users of the website are asked to provide missing or additional The most widely used propaganda information or images that they may have. The online design to appear as a cachet on information will be updated whenever new details are numerous Kosmos launch covers provided to the authors. E-mail correspondence is started with Kosmos-30 and ended welcomed. with Kosmos-228. That cachet was placed on covers by the Tartuski Biographical notes Klub Kollektsionerov (TKK - Tartu The authors have researched and written extensively on the Collectors Club). Each cover was subjects of weather, climate, and un-manned satellites on stamps assigned an "Astronautika and covers. Annaalid" (AA) number, which is Don Hillger, PhD, is a research meteorologist with the National often provided in small print over Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and holds a the cachet, along with the Kosmos cooperative position at Colorado State University. Send number and the launch date. AA numbers reached values correspondence to [email protected] above 200 before the system was discontinued. For more detailed information on these covers, see Jim Reichman's Garry Toth, MSc, is a retired Canadian meteorologist. Send Philatelic Study Report on Tartu Space Club Covers, 1962- correspondence to [email protected] 1978, published in 2011. (See Orbit index) 4