STS-51 D – landing crew – KSC cover

Rare STS-51-D Landing Cover – Hand-Signed by 8 Astronauts Including Patrick Baudry

A highly sought-after collectible from the early Space Shuttle era, this STS-51-D landing cover is remarkably hand-signed by eight astronauts, including the distinguished Patrick Baudry, a French astronaut originally slated for the STS-51-E mission but reassigned before the flight.

Patrick Baudry’s signature is especially rare and significant, as he was replaced by Charles “Charlie” Walker for the STS-51-D mission. This cover therefore represents a unique convergence of astronauts connected to the mission’s shifting crew roster.

Key Features:

• Official STS-51-D landing cover, marking the successful completion of the mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1985

• Hand-signed by 8 crew members, including commander Henry W. Hartsfield Jr., pilot Michael L. Coats, mission specialists, and notably Patrick Baudry, one of France’s pioneering astronauts

• Baudry’s presence makes this cover a rare autograph opportunity—he did not fly on STS-51-D but is linked to the program’s evolving crew line-up