In September 2015 the Russian Federal Communications Agency issued the postal stationery devoted to the 80^th birthday Anniversary of cosmonaut German Titov. Total edition is 2 000 000 envelops. The cover is cancelled with the appropriate special official post mark devoted to the same event.

On October 28, 2015 American astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren performed the spacewalk for installing cables needed for a new docking mechanism, mounting insulation panels on a physics experiment to improve cooling and lubricating the latching mechanism of the station’s robot arm. The EVA lasted 7 hours and 16 minutes. This was the first spacewalk for both Kelly and Lindgren.

On October 26, 2015, at 07:10 UTC the “Long March –2D” (“Changzheng-2D”) rocket-carrier was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, Gansu Province, the northwest of China. The rocket orbited the “Tianhui-1-03” mapping satellite. China’s third “Tianhui” mapping satellite was built for land resource surveys and scientific research.

We regret to inform you of the death of Francis Kiddle at his home in Fleet on October 21.

Francis Kiddle worked in the space industry, retiring in 1997, as Assistant Director of Space Technology Research, at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in the United Kingdom. Since 1996 till 2000 he was the Secretary of the FIP Section for Astrophilately. His philatelic contributions include: 1977 Council Member of the Royal Philatelic Society London; 1979-1994 Honorary Librarian of the Royal Philatelic Society London; 1994-1996 President of the Royal Philatelic Society London; 1996-2005 Chairman of the British Philatelic Trust; 2000-2008 Chairman of the FIP Philatelic Literature Commission; 2001 Royal Mail Lifetime Achievement Award; 2006 Signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelis ... Read more »