Stamps marking Wednesday's successful launch of the Shenzhou VI spacecraft, China's second space flight mission, has been under reservation from the general public.
According to the issuer, the Stamp Collection Company of Inner Mongolia, all the post stations and stamp collection chain stores in Inner Mongolia have started accepting reservation of the Shenzhou VI serial stamp products, which will be delivered to buyers as soon as the re-entry module of the spacecraft returns in a week.
The stamp series include 5,000 commemorative envelopes on the successful retrieve of the Shenzhou VI, and 3,000 stamp album and 3,000 envelope sets named "Love for Shenzhou".
The commemorative envelopes are sold at three yuan (36.6 US cents) each. The "Love for Shenzhou" albums and envelope sets are issued at prices of 90 yuan (US$11.25 US) each and 20 yuan (US$2.4) each respectively.
The album contains a stamp of Shenzhou V, China's first manned spaceship launched two years ago, a stamp of Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut aboard the Shenzhou V, a commemorative envelope of Shenzhou VI and a space postmark used for first time.
The "Love for Shenzhou" envelope set includes the commemorative envelope of the successful launch of Shenzhou V, and the envelopes of the launch, orbiting, telemetrying and retrieve of Shenzhou VI.
(Xinhua News Agency October 12, 2005)