July 17, 2012 By Danielle Signor

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford (in foreground) and Cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov make their historic handshake in space on July 17, 1975 during the joint U.S.-USSR Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) docking in Earth orbit mission. This picture was made from a frame of 16mm motion picture film. Credit: NASA

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the handshake seen above, between a US Astronaut and Soviet Cosmonaut on a joint mission in space, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The planning for this mission stretches back to 1970, and it is an odd spot of warmth and calm in the midst of the Cold War.

And since I can’t remember the last time I blogged a space stamp (I have some coming in the mail, incidentally!!), here’s the commemorative stamps for ASTP, issued by the United States:

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Filed Under: Currency & Postage, News & Happenings, Picspam Tagged With: apollo-soyuz, nasa, soviet, stamps

Comments

Kim Peart says:

July 17, 2012 at 2:04 pm

Now for a similar handshake with China at the International Space Station ~ which would also generate some very collectable stamps.
- Danielle Signor says:
  
  July 17, 2012 at 2:14 pm
  
  Indeed, though maybe it would be more significant to have it at their (China’s) space station.
Kim Peart says:

July 18, 2012 at 9:55 pm

Yes ~ I agree ~ that would be significant. I will float the thought. One never knows, it may be buoyant.