On May 14, 2026, Romfilatelia and the Romanian Post released the impressive philatelic issue “SPACE EXPLORATION”, dedicated to key moments in the history of space research. The series includes four postage stamps, a perforated souvenir sheet, and a first day cover, with each element marking an important anniversary connected to Romania’s contribution to space exploration and major global scientific achievements.
The first two stamps commemorate 45 years since the first spaceflight of Romania’s only astronaut, Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu. The Soyuz 40 mission, launched on May 14, 1981, from Baikonur, made Romania the 11th country to send a human into space. The stamp with a 6.50 lei denomination depicts Prunariu in a “Sokol” spacesuit against the backdrop of the orbital complex “Soyuz 40 – Salyut 6 – Soyuz T‑4”. The 3.50 lei stamp shows him in his Earth suit alongside the Soyuz‑U rocket. Both designs highlight the scientific importance of the mission, during which experiments were conducted in biology, medicine, physics, and Earth observation.
The perforated souvenir sheet, with a 32 lei denomination, presents Prunariu in microgravity together with cosmonaut Viktor Savinykh. The scene illustrates a moment related to the so‑called “space mail” – a practice introduced by the Interkosmos program, in which letters and philatelic materials were exchanged between Earth and orbital stations via visiting crews or automated spacecraft.
The third stamp in the series, with a 10 lei denomination, marks 100 years since the death of Admiral Vasile Urseanu, founder of the Bucharest Astronomical Observatory. The design features his portrait, the historic 1910 Zeiss telescope, and the iconic observatory building constructed at his initiative. Urseanu is regarded as one of Romania’s most important promoters of astronomy, and the observatory that bears his name remains a significant scientific institution today.
The final stamp, with a 21 lei denomination, is dedicated to 50 years since the Viking 1 mission – the first spacecraft to successfully land on Mars. The illustration includes the orbiter, the Titan IIIE/Centaur launch vehicle, and the lander module set against a characteristic Martian landscape. Viking 1 laid the foundations of modern Martian science, operating far beyond its originally planned mission duration.
The “SPACE EXPLORATION” issue is the result of collaboration between Romfilatelia, Romanian astronaut Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu, and the Bucharest Museum, with artistic design by Alec Bartos, chairman of the Romanian Astrophilately Commission. The series combines scientific accuracy, historical depth, and striking visual aesthetics, making it one of Romania’s strongest philatelic releases of 2026.
