Skylab

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Skylab was the U.S. space station orbiting the Earth between 1973 and 1979. It was launched unmanned by Saturn V rocket, which was its last mission. Skylab consisted of a workshop, a solar observatory, and systems for crew and scientific experiments. There were all together 3 missions, delivering 3 astronauts to the station, carried in Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) launched by the Saturn IB rocket which was smaller than Saturn V rocket. For the final two missions to Skylab was prepared backup CSM/Saturn IB but never used.

What is really interesting, that the station was actually damaged during the launch by the micrometeoroid. It took away one of the main solar panel arrays away and jammed other solar panels that they couldn't be deploy. This deprived station of most of its electrical power. Also the protection from the solar heating was removed. The first crew was able to repair and save the station which made the mission outstanding by achieving for the first time such a huge repair in space.

During the mission crew accomplished many scientific experiments, including solar observation and confirming existence of the coronal holes (area on the Sun where the corona is colder and hence darker. Coronal holes discharge fast solar wind, see Solar wind) on the Sun.


  • Skylab 1: launched May 14, 1973, unmanned launch of space station
  • Skylab 2: launched May 25, 1973, lasted 28 days, Commander P. Conrad (Apollo12), Science J. Kerwin,  Pilot P. Weitz
  • Skylab 3: launched July 28, 1973, lasted 56 days, Commander A. Bean (Apollo12), Science O. Garriott, Pilot J. Lousma
  • Skylab 4: launched November 16, 1973, lasted 84 days, Commander G. Carr, Science E. Gibson, Pilot W. Pogue
  • Skylab 5: cancelled, Commander V. Brand, Science W.P. Lenoir,  Pilot D. Lind 
  • Skylab Rescue on standby, never used, Commander V. Brand, Pilot D. Lind + Survivors

After last Skylab 4, Skylab was left in the parking orbit. It was predicted that Skylab would deorbit and crash in 1979. Ground controllers reestablished contact with Skylab in March 1978 and recharged batteries. NASA worked on plans to reactivate Skylab using Space Shuttle, however the first flight occurred only in April 1981. Re-entry of Skylab occurred on July 11, 1979.    

Astronauts performed 10 spacewalks, lasting 42 hours and 16 minutes.
They had shower onboard, however astronauts found difficult to dry and to vacuum the excess of water. Astronauts also found that bending in weightlessness or to sit strained their stomach muscles. 

Shower :-)

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