Bowie stamps launched into space as part of an odd tribute by Royal Mail

In January, David Bowie became the first individual cultural figure to receive his own series of Royal Mail stamps: a series of 10 featuring the Thin White Duke from throughout his career.

And now to promote the release, 52 complete sets of the stamps have been launched towards space on helium balloons – the 52 sets representing each year of his career.

“The flight reached 34,100m at a vertical speed of about 12mph”, the Guardian reports. “After the balloons burst, the stamps will have started to descend at nearly 200mph, slowing to approximately 8mph by the time they reached the ground.”

Fans who correctly guess where the stamps “fell to earth” will receive rare first day covers of the collection.

Six of the stamps honour Bowie eclectic musical output, featuring the album covers of Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Heroes, Let’s Dance, Earthling and Blackstar. The other four focus on crucial tours: 1973’s The Ziggy Stardust Tour, 1978’s The Stage Tour, 1983’s The Serious Moonlight Tour, and 2004’s A Reality Tour.

The stamps can be bought here, and seen here.