Brian O'Leary Signed ESSA 7 Satellite First Day Cover, 1968 Vandenberg AFB View Watchlist >
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Lot # Nasa64L
System ID # 29933938
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Brian O'Leary Signed ESSA 7 Satellite First Day Cover, 1968 Vandenberg AFB
A commemorative event cover for the launch of the ESSA 7 environmental surveyor satellite, postmarked Vandenberg AFB, CA, August 16, 1968, and franked with a 6¢ Franklin D. Roosevelt stamp. The cachet features a halftone illustration of the drum-shaped ESSA "hurricane hunter" weather satellite against a starfield, with printed caption noting the 2,750-pound payload timed for the approaching hurricane season. The cover is boldly signed in black ink by Brian O'Leary, the scientist-astronaut selected in NASA's 1967 Group 6, with his own inscription, "NASA Astronaut."
O'Leary was one of eleven scientist-astronauts chosen for the Apollo program but resigned from NASA in 1968 without ever flying. The collector annotations — "Resigned NASA in 1968" and "Never flew — assigned Apollo Program" — are written on a separate transparent overlay envelope encasing the first day cover, keeping the cover surface itself unaltered. This makes for a clean, self-identified example from a short-tenured member of the astronaut corps, with documentary context added by a careful hand without touching the piece beneath.
History
ESSA 7 was launched August 16, 1968 from Vandenberg Air Force Base as part of the Environmental Science Services Administration's operational weather-satellite network — the direct ancestors of today's NOAA fleet. Event covers like this one were prepared and postmarked on launch day, then circulated among space-program enthusiasts for astronaut signatures. Brian O'Leary's connection to the launch year lends the cover a documentary resonance: he departed the astronaut corps the same season ESSA 7 reached orbit.
Inclusions
Lot includes the signed first day cover and its transparent overlay envelope bearing the collector's handwritten annotations. A Certificate of Authenticity will be issued by Mesilla Valley Estate Sales.
CONDITION
Very Good. The first day cover is clean with a crisp cachet and strong postmark; the ink signature and "NASA Astronaut" inscription are bold and legible. Light handling and minor toning at the edges consistent with age. The transparent overlay envelope bears the collector's handwritten annotations; reverse of the cover shows partial bleed-through of the cachet image.
DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS
- Cover: 3 5/8" × 6 1/2"
- Postmark: Vandenberg AFB, CA — Aug 16, 1968
- Franking: 6¢ Franklin D. Roosevelt U.S. postage stamp
- Signed in black ink, inscribed "NASA Astronaut"
- Collector annotations on separate transparent overlay envelope — not on cover surface
- Certificate of Authenticity issued by Mesilla Valley Estate Sales
