COVER N.199- POLAND

Postmark: Gdansk 50 - ZA - 28.12.2022

Posted on the 28 December; Received on the 10th January 2023
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The last of the three covers I got from Poland on the same day, contains the other half of the set that was also used on cover 198, dedicated to "Poland in Space", with four 3,90 Zloty stamps, issued on 06DEC2022. Thanks a lot Roman!

Again stealing the info from ESA's website  "EarthCARE (Earth Clouds, Aerosols, and Radiation Explorer) is a light and radar imaging satellite jointly operated by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the European Space Agency (ESA) as one of the ESA’s Earth Explorer missions. It will develop our understanding of the role that clouds and aerosols play in reflecting the sun's radiation and trapping the infrared radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface."

and if an image is worth a thousand words, as they say:

Image Credits: esa

The mission is expected to be launched in the current year of 2023 and even If I could not find any direct mention of Poland having a particular role in the project, Poland being a full member of ESA, I'm sure that the connection is there.

The last of the four stamps is dedicated to Proba-3 a mission "devoted to the demonstration of technologies and techniques for highly-precise satellite formation flying. It consists of two small satellites launched together that will separate apart to fly in tandem, to prepare for future multi-satellite missions flying as one virtual structure."

Two key tools of the mission are to be supplied by SENER Polska: the Satellite Arresting and Retarding Mechanism (SAHRM) and the Solar Arresting and Retracting Mechanism (SADM). 

The satellites will be launched in 2024.

Postage is again completed with a  20 grosz stamp issued on 06JUL2016 as part of a long running definitive series dedicated to flowers and fruits, depicting a Crocus, the Saffron flower.

The postmark indicates that the cover was mailed from Gdansk.