AS-202 was the second unmanned, suborbital test flight of a production Block I Apollo command and service module (CSM) launched with the Saturn IB launch vehicle. It was launched on August 25, 1966, and was the first flight which included the spacecraft guidance and navigation control system and fuel cells.
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| The second cover with NASA Saturn IB AS-202 cachet is applied with a Cape Canaveral hand cancel, instead of the usual KSC postmark. |
AS-202 was the third test flight of the Saturn IB, because a delay in the readiness of the Apollo spacecraft 011 pushed its launch past the July 1966 launch of AS-203. It was designed to test the rocket more than had been done on AS-201 by launching the rocket higher and having the flight lasting twice as long. It also tested the command and service module (CSM-011), basically a production model capable of carrying a crew, but lacked the crew couches and some displays. The flight was also designed to test the heat shield by subjecting it to 260 megajoules per square meter.
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| Saturn IB AS-202 launch cover with Cape Canaveral machine cancel on August 25, 1966. |
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| "SpaceCraft" Saturn IB AS-202 launch cover cancelled at Cape Canaveral, August 25, 1966. |
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| Goldcraft Saturn IB AS-202 ("Apollo 3") launch cover cancelled at Cape Canaveral, August 25, 1966. |
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| AS-203 and AS-202 dual Cape Canaveral dual postmarks on a "Velvatone" cachet cover. |
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| USS Hornet recovery ship hand cancel on this cover is less common than the machine cancel. |
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| The USS Hornet machine cancel with "AM" time slug applied on a Beck printed cachet cover is less common than the postmark without time slug. |
