GMS

GMS and
MTSat series


Below is a checklist of Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (GMS) and Multi-functional Transport SATellite (MTSat) series postal items (stamps, souvenir sheets, aerogrammes, postal cards, etc.). Catalog numbers, years of issue, and notes on the satellites featured are given when available. If readers know of additional information or images, please contact the authors using the e-mail addresses at the bottom of this page.

Farther below is a list of GMS and MTSat series launch covers, anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers.


CountryCatalog Number*Type of Item**Year of IssueNotes on Content
GMS / Himawari (Japan)
Chad708bOne of MS6 (708 (a-f))1997GMS-1
China (Taiwan)22221981GMS
Hong Kong4211983GMS full-disk water vapor image
JapanNonePostal card1983GMS
Japan15641984GMS
Japan1564 mihon1564 overprinted "MIHON"
Japan1564 mihon scSouvenir Card (1564) overprinted "MIHON"
Japan1564 fdc1Cancel and cachet on FDC
Japan1564 fdc2Cancel (same) and cachet (different) on FDC
JapanNoneCachet on cover1985GMS
JapanNonePhonecard1992GMS-5
Japan25481996Part of GMS full-disk visible image
Korea (South)1572Also booklet of 41990GMS
Korea (South)2020Also booklet of 102000GMS
Maldive Islands15751991GMS-5
Niger1075cOne of MS6 (1075 (a-f))2001GMS
Sri Lanka12341998GMS
Thailand1472Also booklet of 51992GMS
Thailand1472 fdcFDC, also insert
United Nations (Geneva)NoneMeter1988GMS or GOES-4/71
Vanuatu5661992GMS-4
MTSat / Himawari (Japan)
Japan29362005MTSat
JapanNoneCancel2005MTSat

*Scott catalog number, unless prefixed with Mi or BL for Michel.
**FDC = first day cover; SS# = souvenir sheet, MS# = miniature sheet, where # = number of stamps in sheet, and the numbers in parentheses are the catalog numbers of the stamps in the sheet.

1The GMS-series and GOES-4/7 have a similar appearance, both being built by Hughes Space and Communications Company.


Below is a list of GMS and MTSat series launch covers, anniversary-of-launch covers, and launch-related event covers.


CountryCancel DateCancel LocationType of ItemNotes on Content
GMS / Himawari (Japan)
United States1977-07-14Kennedy Space Center FL(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1977-07-14Cape Canaveral FL(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1977-07-14Cape Canaveral FL(Orbit) cachet on coverGMS-1 (mislabeled SMS-3) launch
United States1977-07-14Cape Canaveral FL(Rubber-stamp) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1977-07-14Cape Canaveral FL(Centennial?) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1977-07-14Kennedy Space Center FL(Centennial?) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1977-07-14Kennedy Space Center FL(SCPS)1 cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1977-07-14Kennedy Space Center FL(Rubber-stamp) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch (comsat image)
United States1977-07-14Greenbelt MD(GSFC) cachet on coverGMS-1 launch
United States1981-08-10Greenbelt MD(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
Japan1981-08-11Minamitane(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
Japan1981-08-11Tsukubagakuen(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
Japan1981-08-11Minamitane(Zaso silk) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
Japan1981-08-11Tsukubagakuen(Zaso silk) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
Japan1981-08-11Tsukubagakuen(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
Japan1981-08-11Minamitane(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-2 launch
United States1984-08-02Greenbelt MD(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-3 launch
Japan1984-08-03Tsukubagakuen(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-3 launch
Japan1984-08-03Tsukubagakuen (scenic cancel)2(Space Voyage) cachet (different color) on coverGMS-3 launch
Japan1984-08-03Minamitane(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-3 launch
Japan1984-08-03Tsukubagakuen(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-3 launch
United States1989-09-05Greenbelt MD(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-4 launch
Japan1989-09-06Minamitane(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-4 launch
Japan1989-09-06Tsukubagakuen(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-4 launch
Japan1989-09-06Tsukubagakuen(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-4 launch
Japan1989-09-06Tsukubagakuen (scenic cancel)2(Space Voyage) cachet (different color) on coverGMS-4 launch
Japan1995-03-18Minamitane(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-5 launch
Japan1995-03-18Tsukubagakuen(Watanabe) cachet on coverGMS-5 launch
Japan1995-03-18Tsukubagakuen(Space Voyage) cachet on coverGMS-5 launch
Japan1995-03-18Tsukubagakuen (scenic cancel)2(Space Voyage) cachet (different color) on coverGMS-5 launch
MTSat / Himawari (Japan)
No launch cover images available yet

1SCPS = Space Coast Philatelic Society
2Scenic cancels contain drawings, as opposed to only characters and numbers.


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Updated: 2008-11-18