LOT #50008 |
Current Bid: $550
Albert I: The First Primate Launched into Space, in a V-2 Rocket on June 11, 1948, Launch Cover. ...
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Description
Prohibitively rare launch cover, possibly unique
Albert I: The First Primate Launched into Space, in a V-2 Rocket
on June 11, 1948, Launch Cover. Albert I was a rhesus macaque
monkey launched as part of the U.S. Air Force's early space
experiments. He was the first mammal to be launched on a rocket,
specifically a V-2 rocket called "Blossom No. 3" from White Sands
Proving Ground in New Mexico. Offered here is a very special Air
Mail philatelic cover bearing 2¢ "Nations United For Victory" and
3¢ "California Gold Centennial 1848-1948" stamps canceled at Air
Mail Field Albuquerque on June 11, 1948. Quite a bit of information
is handwritten on the left side of the cover, as follows.Firing site: U.S. Army Ordnance Proving Ground
Payload: American primate "Albert"
Type of missile: V2 rocket
Date: June 11, 1948
Experimenter: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Albuq. N.M.
Remarks: Partly successful (monkey died of suffocation)
When Mr. Bracke bought this cover at an October 2007 Superior auction, he paid $4600. The closing remarks to their catalog description read: "Sensational cover the like of which we have not seen before. Unlisted in any catalog and quite likely unique. This cover certainly ranks with the most important space covers from era of pre-manned flight in existence. Highly desirable." We heartily concur with those comments. This cover is very fine with light toning, addressed with a rubber stamped "M. C. Robbins, Jr./ General Delivery" with "Las Vegas N. M." written in pencil below. On the verso is a second postmark with the same date as above and "Las Vegas, N. Mex. Gen. Del. 1" around. Also, another rubber stamped address for M. C. Robbins in New York. A real piece of Space history.
Mission Details: Albert I weighed approximately nine pounds and was anesthetized before being placed in the rocket's crew capsule. The rocket reached a peak altitude of 39 miles (62 km), which fell short of the Kármán line (62 miles or 100 km) that defines the boundary of space. The flight lasted only a few minutes and did not reach outer space.
Outcome: Unfortunately, Albert I did not survive the mission. There are conflicting reports about the exact cause of his death: Some sources suggest he suffocated during the flight or possibly even during the launchpad countdown before liftoff. Other reports indicate he may have died due to the cramped conditions of the capsule before the rocket left the ground.
Significance: Despite its tragic outcome, Albert I's flight was a crucial step in early space exploration: It paved the way for subsequent animal flights and eventually human spaceflight. The mission provided valuable data for improving future launches and animal welfare in space experiments. Albert I was the first in a series of monkeys named Albert that were used in these early space experiments, with Albert II becoming the first primate to actually reach space on June 14, 1949. From the Family Collection of Jacques Bracke.
Auction Info
2025 December 11 - 12 Space Exploration Signature® Auction #6326 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
December
11th
Thursday
9:50 am CT
Auction Dates
December
11th-12th
Thursday-Friday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
9 Days
19h 18m 58s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 3
Lot Tracking Activity: 21
Page Views: 149
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% of the successful bid (minimum $49) per lot.
This lot is in: 1 -
Signature® Floor Session (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 50001-50227) - 10:00 AM Central Time, Thursday, December 11, 2025.
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
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Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
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