Mann on the Moon
The first digital franking of stamps in space, and our Moon Landing stamps on the Moon!
In a historic milestone for space commerce and regulatory innovation, Eayst Noa Ltd, an Isle of Man company, has successfully demonstrated the world’s first digital franking of Isle of Man Post Office stamps on the Moon and their transmission back to Earth. The stamps and the necessary edge-processing software for this test were digitally stored aboard the Freedom Payload, the first data centre on the Moon, launched by Intuitive Machines and SpaceX for Lonestar Data Holdings Inc., the parent company of Eayst Noa Ltd.
All three of the ‘Moonlanding Stamps’ issues designed by Glazier Design were on board the lander ‘Athena’ as part of the Freedom Payload, along with the ‘2001: a Space Odyssey stamps’ (2001stamps.com) and others.
On touchdown, the lander toppled, preventing the deployment of solar panels. However, there was enough time and battery power for the data centre to transmit an image back to Earth. What you see is a view from the surface of the Moon. The lander’s legs left and right, and the Earth in the distance.
We like to call this image ‘Athena Reclining’. This picture was the final file transmitted by Athena as her batteries expired.
Our stamp issues all now sit in the data center, on the surface of the Moon, forever! (Or at least until a very unlucky strike by an asteroid or meteorite.)
The Stamp Issues
The Moon Landing stamps follow the great race for the Moon and space through the early Apollo missions in ‘One Small Step‘. Then the later Apollo missions and subsequent crewed flights, up to the ISS and Space Shuttle in ‘One Giant Leap‘. Finally the return to the Moon and the future of humanity in space is the subject of ‘Back to the Moon‘.
The story started with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Glazier Design worked with Chris Stott, Apollo Program leader George Abbey and NASA. The stamps were launched at Mission Control in Houston. The later sets mark the continued exploration of the Moon and space including our next brave steps to establish human colonies on the Moon.
This final step, the stamp issues landing on the surface of the Moon, is the culmination of a decade of work, but also a 56-year story of Lunar discovery.
Athena Reclining
Athena resting on the surface of the Moon, with the Earth in the distance. The final image sent by the data centre.
Mission Control
Athena travelling to the Moon
One Small Step
Our journey began with a stamp issue marking the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing.
It was our great honour and privilege to work with George Abbey and NASA to create the first set of stamps marking 50 Years of Lunar Exploration, symbolically themed around that ‘One Small Step’ Neil Armstrong took on the surface of the Moon in 1969. Humanity has studied the Moon for millennia; it has governed our tides, our planting seasons, even the rhythm of our bodies, it is an ever-changing constant in our lives, but it is that one small step that marked the beginning of exploration.
Why do we climb mountains? Because they are there. Why would we visit the Moon? Because it is there, because it is difficult, because to get there is a crowning achievement for humanity. Why haven’t we been back? We asked the people at NASA. The simple answer is that until now, we haven’t needed to, but lunar exploration has a bright future. The Moon will soon be the base for trips to Mars; it will have labs in low gravity, creating medicines and materials impossible to create on Earth. Missions are headed there right now and we are witnessing giant leaps in our space race. We hope you enjoy our little part of this journey.
Our three sets of stamps cover that journey up to the present day, and onwards. We named our third set #Back to the Moon’ for a particular reason. While we were at Johnson launching the first set in live Mission Control, Vice President Mike Pence was nearby making the announcement that America would go ‘Back to the Moon… and on to Mars’. We’ve made it to the Moon. One more small step to go.
Talking with Al Worden, Apollo 15
Our thanks to…
The many people who helped bring these issues together
We are very grateful to all those who have helped us, especially Mr George Abbey who worked with NASA during the Apollo missions and was director of the Johnson Space Center during the NASA Shuttle – Mir Program. We also thank planetary scientist David R. Williams, acting head of the NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive at Goddard Space Flight Center for his input on Moon location references and all the team at NASA for their help with images and information.
We dedicate this issue to Alan Bean, fourth man to walk on the Moon, whose paintings were to grace the stamps. We spoke to him at length, but he sadly passed away before the issue could be laid out. The issue was conceived, planned and designed by Glazier Design. Owner Ben Glazier was born during the Apollo 11 mission; his sister Elizabeth was born during the Apollo 15 mission. Advance planning indeed.
