Project Mercury Man in Space

United States · 1962 · 4c

This commemorative stamp, known as the 'Project Mercury' issue, depicts an astronaut in a Mercury space capsule orbiting the Earth. It was the first U.S. postage stamp to be printed in secret and released simultaneously with the event it commemorated. The design captures the excitement and ambition of the early American space program.

Issued on February 20, 1962, this stamp celebrated the first orbital flight by an American astronaut, John Glenn, aboard the Friendship 7 capsule. The stamp's release was timed to coincide with the successful completion of his mission, marking a significant milestone for the U.S. in the Space Race against the Soviet Union.