Apollo 15 Postal Covers Incident: A Moonlit Scandal
Unauthorized Mail in Space
A Secret Mission Revealed
In 1972, the Apollo 15 mission was marred by a curious scandal: the unauthorized carrying of 400 postal covers into space and to the surface of the Moon. This incident, dubbed the Apollo 15 postal covers incident, shed light on the strict rules governing astronauts' belongings.
Months after the Apollo 15 lunar flight, a Mülheim an der Ruhr stamp auction offered these "Moon letters" for sale. Envelopes carried by Apollo 15 astronauts fetched astonishing prices at the time.
The Apollo 15 mission, launched in July 1971, was the ninth crewed mission in the Apollo program and the fourth to touch down on the Moon. As a "J mission," it featured an extended stay on the lunar surface.
One particularly valuable item sold at a recent auction was a letter secretly taken to the Moon and back by Apollo 15 astronauts. It commanded an impressive 11,000 Euros.
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