David Bowie stamps sent into space by Royal Mail

The Bowie stamp in space

A set of stamps featuring the late David Bowie have been launched into space by the UK’s Royal Mail.

The stamps featuring images from Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Heroes, Let’s Dance, Earthling and Blackstar were fixed to helium balloons and fired into the stratosphere in honour of Bowie’s 1976 film The Man Who Fell To Earth.

Once the balloons burst, the stamps will fall to Earth, with fans able to collect prizes should they find the them back on terra firma.

The Royal Mail have set up a dedicated website where fans can follow the path of the stamps and pinpoint where they think they’ll land. There’s also a video on the site showing one of the stamps being released.

Last month it was reported that a crowdfunding campaign to raise a permanent memorial to Bowie in his birthplace of Brixton, London, had been launched.

Organisers said: ““In a 50 year career he blazed a trail that brought joy to millions, changing lives and opening minds. Many of us would not be the people we are, were it not for Bowie. When David Bowie died, Brixton also lost a son.

“Now, in consultation with David Bowie’s team in New York and London, the Brixton community is building a permanent memorial in the place of his birth.”

The campaign now has just four days to go and has so far raised close to £50,000.

Bowie, who died in January last year after battling cancer for 18 months, posthumously won two Brit awards in February for Album Of The Year for Blackstar and British Male Solo Artist.

Rick Wakeman and Chris Hadfield cover Bowie's Space Oddity

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald newspapers, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.