Russia 1973
Luna 21/Lunokhod 2
Lunokhod 2 roving over the lunar surface. It was delivered by a lander called Luna 21. On the chart of the Moon behind, a star marks the landing position in the eastern Mare Serenitatis (Sea of Serenity). Luna 21/Lunokhod 2 landed on 1973 January 15, just five weeks after the final Apollo mission, Apollo 17, which had visited an area about 180 km to the south of the Luna 21 landing site.
Stanley Gibbons catalogue number:
4159
Along with the above stamp, the Russians released this pair of sheets. They depict the trajectory of Luna 21 to the Moon, Lunokhod 2 on the surface, and an engineer driving it by remote control from Earth. The designs of the two sheets are identical; the only difference is their colour. The small illustrations at top and bottom centre depict two pennants carried by the craft, a Russian space tradition.
Stanley Gibbons catalogue numbers:
MS4160, MS4161