Description:

John F. Kennedy
Washington, D.C., February 26, 2011
JFK Space Flown Congressional Envelope To International Space Station by Former Cold War Rivals!
Envelope/First Day Cover

Space Flown JFK United States House of Representatives Cover, dated December 3, 1952, postmarked in Boston, Mass, and addressed to The Lynch Family, 29 Elm Street, Brookline 46, Massachusetts. The unique cover features a pre-printed free frank of then Congressman John F. Kennedy, who at the time was serving his first term in the U.S. House representing Massachusetts's 11th district. The envelope is franked with a 3¢ violet Thomas Jefferson stamp, is flight certified to have been flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and hand-signed in black ballpoint by Expedition 26 Flight Engineer Aleksandr Kaleri. In fine condition. Measures 3.75" x 6.5." Accompanied by a copy of the original letter sent in the flown mailing envelope.

Translated to English, the Russian onboard postmark on the lower left reads:
"Russian Post – Russian Segment
On Board ISS
Moscow 10100
Date: 26.02.11 00"

President John F. Kennedy's bold vision for space exploration, set forth in his 1961 speech committing the United States to landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s, laid the foundation for decades of advancements in space technology and international cooperation. His leadership propelled the Apollo program, leading to the moon landing in 1969, which in turn spurred continued investment in space exploration. The collaborative spirit he championed eventually influenced the development of multinational efforts like the International Space Station (ISS), where former Cold War rivals now work together in pursuit of scientific progress. Kennedy's legacy endures in humanity's ongoing quest to explore the cosmos.

Aleksandr Kaleri is a distinguished Russian cosmonaut and aerospace engineer renowned for his extensive contributions to human spaceflight across multiple decades. Born on May 13, 1956, in Jurmala, Latvia (then part of the Soviet Union), Kaleri began his career at RKK Energia and was selected as a cosmonaut in 1984. He flew on five space missions, including Mir, Soyuz, and International Space Station expeditions, accumulating over 769 days in space, making him one of the most experienced spacefarers in history. Kaleri participated in critical missions aboard the Mir space station, played a key role in the early long-duration stays aboard the ISS, and served as Flight Engineer for Expedition 26 in 2010-2011, on which this envelope was flown. His work has helped advance international collaboration in orbit and contributed significantly to the development of sustained human presence in space.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 3.75" x 6.5"
  • Medium: Envelope/First Day Cover

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