Jan 19

Space Rocket History #431 – Skylab – Skylab 5 & Skylab B

Early in the planning stages of the Skylab flight, there was a desire to keep it in orbit long enough to use it as the core of a larger station.

Skylab 5 Crew-Brand, Lenoir,Lind

Skylab B at Smithsonian

Saturn V at Houston

Jan 18

Space Rocket History #406 – Skylab – The Launch of Skylab 2

At 07:00 hours Houston time, Skylab 2 roared off its Milk Stool from LC-39B; the first Saturn IB launch in almost five years and only the second launch from Pad 39B.

Skylab 2 Crew-Kerwin, Conrad, Weitz

Launch of Skylab 2

Launch of Skylab 2

Skylab Fly Around

Skylab Fly Around Inspecting Damage

Jan 04

Space Rocket History #405 – Skylab – What Went Wrong and How Do We Fix It?

Nasa concluded that the failure of the micrometeoroid shield 63 seconds into the flight caused the breaking of the solar array system. Furthermore, at 593 seconds into the flight the second stage retro rocket plume exhaust resulted in the ripping off of the array.

How the Shield was Torn Off

Making the Sunshade

Making the Sunshade

Shade Deployment Test

Shade Deployment Test

Dec 14

Space Rocket History #404 – Skylab – The Launch of Skylab 1

Having two rockets stacked on pads 39A and 39B at the same time made for quite a sight at the Kennedy Space Center. There were also two firing rooms at KSC’s Launch Control Center that would control the countdowns for both rockets simultaneously.

Workshop with Shield Wrapped Around it

Skylab 1 & 2 on Pads 39A & 39B

Launch of Skylab 1