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Stamp Profile
Isle of Man
2001 Space Odyssey
A limited edition of just 2001 numbered envelopes
featuring the Millennium midnight stamp "01.01.00"
and cancelled 1st January 2001. The pictorial
envelope depicts the book cover of Arthur C. Clarke's
epic which was to re-released in December 2000.
Sir Arthur C. Clarke became a household name in
science fiction when his writing formed the basis of the
movie 2001: Space Odyssey. His powers to predict the
future of space travel gave his work cult status and his advice on space exploration
has been widely sought.
Copyright ©2001 Isle of Man Government
Europa 1991
Austria
Issue Date: 03/05/1991
The importance of efforts to learn about the global
consequences of our interaction with the environment in
connection with climatic change, the green-house effect, and
their effects on our ecosystem continues to grow. The satellite is
considered a fundamental instrument in the research of these
phenomena.
Data and orbital photographs have been transmitted from the American Landsat
series since 1972 and from the French SPOT satellite since 1986. In April 1991 the
European Space Agency (E. S. A.) launched its first observation satellite, the ERS-1
with an Ariane 4, from Kourou, French Guyana. In particular, this satellite is intended
to convey polar and oceanic data for economic and scientific applications.
© Austria Post Office
Austria
Aflenz Earth Radio Station
Issue Date: 30/05/1980
Satellites as intercontinental communication links are a basic
element of modern communications engineering. For many years,
the Austrian Post and Telecommunications Administration used
this communication tool, albeit via earth radio stations of foreign
sister administrations. In the 1970's, it was decided to establish an
earth radio station in Austria.
After protracted preparatory work, a property near Grassnitz in the district of Aflenz
(Styria) was selected as the most suitable spot for this installation. As a first step,
Aflenz earth radio station was completed, to be followed in October 1977 by the
construction works for the operations centre. The powerful paraboloidal-type reflector
was mounted in March 1979.
In May 1979, the operations centre was sufficiently completed to permit the installation
of radio communications equipment. The entire plant was completed on schedule in
May 1980. It was then planned to further expand the facility in several stages over the
coming years to increase its efficiency. The stamp shows antenna 1 of the earth radio
station Aflenz. The diameter of the paraboloidal-type main reflector is 32 metres with a
total weight of approximately 270 metric tons.
© Austria Post Office
Europa 1988
Austria
Issue Date 13/05/1988
Early on, the Austrian Postal Administration recognized the
importance of satellites in building telecommunications
connections. Already in 1965 the first commercial
telecommunications satellite was put to use connecting
Vienna to New York. More satellite lines soon followed this
one, which was switched through a ground station in a neighboring country.
However, the increasing demand for communications required establishing an
individual satellite communication connection in Austria. Thus, construction was begun
in 1979 in the municipality of Aflenz in the Hochschwab alpine region of Styria.
Celebrations honoring the commissioning of this installation were held in May of 1980,
and already then this was occasion for the issuance of a commemorative stamp.
Three additional antennas were constructed by 1988. As a communication bridge for
international and regional satellite connections, the ground receiver station in Aflenz
illustrated the postal administration's challenge to prove that it was capable of meeting
the demand for telecommunications connections in the best possible way.
© Austria Post Office
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