India Rocket Mail

Hello Gandhi Collectors,

Rocket mail is the delivery of mail by rocket or missile. The rocket would land by deploying an internal parachute upon arrival. It has been attempted by various organizations in many different countries, with varying levels of success. It has never become widely seen as being a viable option for delivering mail, due to the cost of the schemes and numerous failures.

While searching I saw lot of Indian Rocket Mail philatelic material (cover or post card) and it looks interesting to me.

But to me it look like it was not carried or authorized by any postal administration (British India). Looks like it has to do something with All India Scouts.!!

My son make rocket for his school science project and he told me that his rocket can carry load of 3-4  envelopes in his rocket when he fires in to sky and after that he can take it to post office so it come through mail. 

Can I consider it that as rocket mail cover with USA Gandhi stamp and official cancellation from post office.!! 

I told him "Think Different". Why don't you go or let your robotic rover travel in that rocket instead of sending just mail to me.!! I can make Gandhi rocket mail cover myself  by using some fancy rubber stamp of rocketship, organization dispatch etc  and signing it.!! 

Also I can get expert certificate!!

Don't you think we all made PHILATELIC collection a JOKE.!!

Also there is no official stamp affixed on this India Rocket mail cover. It has just label (piece of paper) which mention about Scouts Jamboree Rocket Dispatch and date Feb 1937.

Can this be consider as philatelic material related to rocket ? or any cover with any piece of paper either it be label or stamp or painting or rubber stamp can be consider philatelic cover.??!!

Please read following series of my blog post  to understand what is going on stamp collecting world specially in Indian Philatelic material.

1) Indian Philately Exposed 
2) Indian Philately Exposed - Part II
3) First Aerial Post - Indian Philately Exposed - Part III
4) 1911 First Aerial Post - Allahabad - Indian Philately Exposed - Part IV

So now what are chance of having Gandhi Boycott Label on India Rocket mail cover or card.?

Has anyone has seen this Gandhi label of Boycott Foreign Goods on India Rocket mail?

It will be interesting cover if we can find one with Gandhi Boycott foreign goods label!!

I am not expert in Rocket mail, but I can use this kind of example to increase my knowledge in Philatelic collection and connect all the dots and THINK.!! what are endless possibility in Philatelic world.!! 

Following screenshot is from Rocket Mail or Missile mail article from Wikipedia, which mentioned that in 1959 United States Post office is first known official use of rocket or missiles by any Post Office Department of any nation.!! Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_mail

So if 1959 USA was first official nation in world to carry mail by rocket then what are this Rocket mail cover issued in 1934 or 1937 or 1944 or 19??.!!

The first successful(Unofficial) delivery of mail by a rocket in the United States was made on 23 February 1936.

Before Project Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the present Space Shuttle, there was "Gloria," a rocket airplane that was launched from the frozen waters of Greenwood Lake on February 23, 1936, some 300 meters away. The rocket airplane was the brainchild of two men, Ferd Kessler and John Schleich.
Ferd Kessler was a stamp dealer from New York City. He was interested in producing and selling stamps. Kessler teamed up with John Schleich of Greenwood Lake who was the Village Treasurer. Schleich thought a rocket airplane taking off from Greenwood Lake would be good publicity for the Village. (It was not authorised or approved by postal administration).

Following cover is to celebrate 25th anniversary of that event. It's not carried by rocket.!!

Might be who knows.!! except few philatelist in that area who were interested in rocket mail.!!

This cover also has official stamp and cancellation from US post office and  it has label and rubber stamp too.!! They can sign this too.!! and affix label "Rocket Dispatched"!!!!

Can we consider following as Rocket Mail cover if someone sign as astronaut.!!

BTW: this cover has official Gandhi stamp and official Cancellation.!!

This cover is nothing but an EVENT cover which was made to celebrate the event about Polaris Missile fired from Cape Canaveral. It is not a Rocket mail or Rocket carried or Rocket dispatched.!!

Who know it might be carried in missile.!!! just put rubber stamp and label that it is carried by rocket.!

Following are more India Rocket mail which has stamp on cover, but can we still think it's officially carried in rocket by postal agency or administration during that time.!!!

I don't think so.

Did any celebrate 25th Anniversary of India Rocket mail?!!! I don't think so.!!

So before you collect any philatelic material be careful and think all possibilities as we don't know what happen almost 70+ years ago.!!

Again let me make sure that this cover might be genuine as I am not expert so as a buyer you have to think before you buy it.

So now what are this Rocket mail cover issued in 1934 or 1937 or 1944 ?

Your guess is mine.!!

Thanks
Gandhi Stamps Club


BTW: Following are some of the famous FAKE Gandhi stamps and philately I am  aware off.

1) Fake Pictorial Postmark Cancel To make collection unique or money.!!
2) Fake Postcards Just to make little money.!!
3) Fake seller (pretending from different country or trying to outbid .!!)
4) FAKE Error Stamp (to make money!!)