A Stamp from Space Costs $30 Thousand

Collectors of stamps will soon have a unique opportunity: to acquire the stamps, which were stamped in space. As it was said at the Russian space company Rosaviakosmos, a special postal department had been set up for this purpose. The department will collect the stamps, which will then be sent on board the International Space Station, cosmonauts will stamp them with a special stamp, and then space stamps will be delivered back to the Earth and sold to collectors.

The cost of one stamp like that will make up to $30 thousand. The money that is going to be obtained this way will be used to maintain the space industry. A spokesperson for Rosaviakosmos said that such a high price of a space stamp is explained with the high price of cargo deliveries to the International Space Station. The delivery of one kilo of cargo on board the space station costs up to $20 thousand, while the delivery of the cargo back to the Earth costs up to $60 thousand. To crown it all, one hour of the crew's work on board the station costs about $20 thousand.

Cosmonauts of the 7th permanent mission will become first space postmen (they are to fly to the space station tomorrow). Before travelling to the International Space Station, cosmonauts will stamp 50 special postcards and sign ten of them. Those cards will be sold as well.