U.S. #3178

1997 $3 Mars Pathfinder

Issue Date: December 10, 1997

City: Pasadena, California

Quantity: 15,000,000

Printed By: Stamp Venturers

Printing Method: Photogravure

Perforations: 11.1

Color: Multicolored - Copper

The Mars Pathfinder Priority Mail stamp was the last stamp issued in 1997. It commemorates the successful landing of the Mars Pathfinder on July 4, 1997. The stamp pictures the first image sent from the Pathfinder, the remote-controlled vehicle, Sojourner, which collected data about the soil and rocks, with the Mars landscape in the background.

The Mars Pathfinder successfully landed in the Ares Vallis region of Mars at 10:07 a.m., Pacific time, on July 4, 1997. Commands from Earth by remote control take approximately 10 minutes to reach Sojourner. This was the first time a “thinking” robot was reacting to unplanned events on the surface of another planet. It took three years to design, build, test and launch the Mars Pathfinder. Pathfinder was launched on December 4, 1996. The Sojourner travels at a speed of 0.4 inches per second, and measures approximately 2’ x 1.5’ x 1’.

The $13.95 Mars Pathfinder stamp has a bright copper color that defies proper photographing. The copper edge shines giving the stamp a unique appearance. The stamp measures 3-1/4" H x 5-3/4" W and is a "must have" for stamp collectors and enthusiasts. The stamp is new in mint condition.