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The First Slovak in Space
Catalogue Number:  183
Stamp Design:  Du¹an Nágel
Stamp Engraving:  Martin Èinovský
Block Engraving:  Franti¹ek Horniak
Date of Issue:  June 15, 1999
Printing:  Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague, Czech Republic
Print Technology:  Rotary-recess printing combined with recess printing
Print Run:  100,800
FDC Design:  Du¹an Nágel
FDC Engraving:  Rudolf Cigánik
Cancellation Design:  Du¹an Nágel
Printing:  Postal Stationery Printing House, Prague, Czech Republic
Print Technology:  Recess printing from flat plates
FDC Print Run:  10,000

The first Slovak astronaut, Group Captain Ivan Bella, was born on May 21st, 1964 in Brezno.
He undertook his space flight as a member of an international Russian-french-Slovak crew. The Soyuz TM-29 with the mission ©tefánik took off from the Baykonur launch site on February 20, 1999. The crew leader was Viktor Afanasyev and the third member board engineer Jean-Pierre Haigneré of France.
As part of the mission ©tefánik Bella carried out a research project which included dosimetry, senso-asymetry, metabolism and monitoring the influence of gravity on the post-embryonic development of Japanese quails on the MIR orbiting station.
After completion of experiments Soyuz TM-29 landed in Kazakhstan on February 28th.

Air Vice-Marshal ©tefan Gombík

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Year 1999
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