The Space Unit

The Space Unit is an organisation of hobbists devoted to the collection and study of covers and stamps issued on space themes. It has a world wide membership and is the largest independent astrophilatelic society in the world.

The Space Unit was founded in November, 1957 by a group of collectors in the Greater Chicagoland area and midwestern United States. It is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Illinois. Since its inception, it has grown in membership into the largest astrophilatelic independent society in the world. Members are represented throughout the United States and Canada, as well as the five continents.The Space Unit is affiliated with the American Philatelic Society and the American Topical Association.

Board of Space Unit
President Tom Steiner
Vice-President Steve Durst
Secretary David Chudwin
Treasurer Terry Chamberlin
FISA-Delegate Charles Bromser
Contact Tom Steiner
Website Space Unit
Official Publication

The Astrophile
  • 2021 - 2022

    The Astrophile # 329

    • Chang'é China's Lunar Sample Return Mission
    • HJM Cachets on Unmanned Satellite Covers
    • Unmanned satellites on Postage Stamps
    • Sputnik V
    • First Manned Spaceflight - 6 Decades Ago
    • Hubble Space Telescope Captures Einstein Ring
    • Exoplanet or Planet Nine ?
    • Space Station Events
    • Falcon 9 Prototype
    • SpaceX Starhopper Prelude to the Starship Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicle System
    • TYC 8998-7600-1 : A Multi-Planet System around a Sun-Like Star
    • NASA's Juno Spacecraft : first close-up of Jupiter's Ganymede Moon
    • NASA is planning to Return to Venus
    • NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 Mission
    June 2021 # 329

    The Astrophile # 330

    December 2021 # 330

    The Astrophile # 331

    June 2022 # 332

    The Astrophile # 332

    December 2022 # 332
  • 2019 - 2020

    The Astrophile # 325

    • Study of NASA's Kelly Twins
    • 100 Years after Einstein's Theory Rose
    • NASA lander detects Eerie Rumble of 'Mars Quake'
    • Insight and MarCO mission to Mars
    • The Exoplanet Hunter Tess
    • Exoplanets and the Discovery of Trappist-1
    • Spaceflight Precision at the Edge of Our Solar System
    • Pluto's Perplexing Moons
    • Nasa's Dawn satellite & Exploration of Vesta and Ceres
    • USPS 46 : The Galileo Satellite
    • See a Black Hole for the Fitrst Time
    • Katie Bouman Helped The World See a Black Hole
    • A New Horizon
    • Up in Space, Mice found a New Way to Play
    • DM1 Mission and Falcon 9 Resupply Mission
    June 2019 # 325

    The Astrophile # 326

    • The historic flight of Apollo 11
    • The Eagle has landed! Apollo 11's 50th Anniversary Postmarks
    • The flight of the X-37B
    • Apollo 11 Moon landing stamps and covers
    • Leonov, legacy is "Out of this world"
    • Szostck/WSMR numbered covers.
    • Unmanned satellites on postage stamps : 47-The SOHO satellite
    • 40th anniversary of the Discovery of Pluto's Moon Charon
    • The Spitzer space telescope to retire
    December 2019 # 326

    The Astrophile # 327

    June 2020 # 327

    The Astrophile # 328

    • NASA Expert ID's Mystery Object as Rocket
    • New Planets Discovered Orbiting a Close Star
    • U.S. Astronauts are Back in Space
    • The Commercial Space Race
    • Cachets and Covers from Ulyanovsk's Clyb
    • Tribute to A.F. Brigadier General Chuck Yeager
    • First Successful Venus Landing - 50 Years Ago
    • Swanson Rubber Stamp Cachets
    December 2020 # 328
  • 2017 - 2018