Commemorative First Day Covers of Space Missions

Group of two First Day Covers measuring 6.5" x 3.75". Houston, TX. May 14, 1974 and February 11, 1975. The first cover depicts the Skylab II logo on the left-hand side and is signed by mission commander Alan Bean. The second details the arrival of 8 Soviet Cosmonauts to the Johnson Space Station as part of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, and is autographed by Alexsei Leonov, Tom Stafford, and interpreter Anatole Forostenko. Both feature a ¢10 Skylab stamp Ca. 1974. From the collection of Anatole Forostenko, Chief Russian Language Instructor-Interpreter for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission.

Dr. Anatole Forostenko (b. 1939) was born in the Soviet Union and moved to the U.S. in 1949. He studied at Rutgers University and Indiana University before gaining his Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr. From 1970-1973, Forostenko was an Assistant Professor of Russian Language and Literature at the University of California. He then joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1974 and became involved in the Apollo-Soyuz test project. He became the Chief Russian Language Instructor for the NASA astronauts, preparing them to communicate with cosmonauts during the mission, and he worked closely with both crews as instructor-interpreter. Often, he worked in one-on-one situations with General Thomas P. Stafford and Vance Brand. During the Apollo-Soyuz mission, Forostenko served as one of three U.S. Air-to-Ground interpreters at the Johnson Space Center Mission Control Center. Upon completion of the mission, he traveled with the crew members and their families on the post-flight Soviet Good Will Tour and has remained in close contact with those involved.

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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