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Space Vehicles: ARD (Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator) [2]
October 30, 1998. The vessel REVI recovered ARD and delivered it to Papeete, Tahiti, from where it
was transported by a commercial ship to Europe and returned to Aerospatiale in Bordeaux for inspection
and testing. Commemorative cover cancelled at Papeete at the arrival of the ship to the harbour.
For the first time covers were flown on a European spacecraft. Before loading the 1980 covers onboard,
they were postmarked in Kourou with launch date (Oct. 21, 1998); also the “Ariane” non-postal ESA
rubber stamp with date mechanism was added. The spacecraft was recovered by the REVI recovery ship
(red rubber stamp) on Oct. 22, and the cover kit was opened on Oct. 24. Before movig ARD to the vessel
directed to Europe, the covers were cancelled at Pepeete, Tahiti on November 5, 1998.
COVER FLOWN IN SPACE
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