Aug 23

Space Rocket History #421 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Recovery & Re-acclimation

“I felt like that mission was from my viewpoint the highlight of my career, as being the best astronaut that I could be. I felt like our crew was the best crew we could be because we had done the best we could. We got sick; we couldn’t help that. We bundled along. And then we went normally, and then we went to overdrive to catch up, and then we passed.” Alan Bean

Skylab 3 CM Hoisted on Ship. Credit SpaceFacts

Crew Fork-Lift Ride

Skylab 3 CM at National Air & Space Museum

Aug 10

Space Rocket History #420 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – De-orbit, Re-entry, & Splashdown

“The thing I remember about reentry was not positioning some RCS switches correctly. We got behind and Owen could not read my notes in the checklist because of the limited space (and my ‘unique’ penmanship). I said, ‘Give me the book, and I’ll reconfigure the switches.’ So he gave me the book; then I reconfigured a few. I had a lot of other things going on, and I didn’t reconfigure them all. About ten minutes later, we began to drift out of attitude and we got a master alarm” Alan Bean

Parachute Deployment

Frogmen Enter the Water after Splashdown

Command Module in the Pacific

Jul 26

Space Rocket History #419 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Those Tricky Garriotts

“Hello Houston. Roger. Well I, haven’t talked with you for a while. Isn’t that you down there. Bob? This is Helen, here in Skylab. The boys hadn’t had a good home cooked meal in so long, I  thought I’d bring one up. Over” Helen Garriott

Bean Reading Teleprinter Message.

Bean on EVA 3

Reaching For The Stars. Credit Al Bean

Jul 13

Space Rocket History #418 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – AMU, EVA 2, Space Physics, Solar Physics and Mission Extension

On mission day 28, August 24th 1973, it was time to perform the 2nd EVA.  Garriott and Lousma once again stepped outside the orbital workshop for a 4 and ½ hour spacewalk.

Lousma Tests the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit

Bean Tests the Foot Controlled Maneuvering Unit

Solar Flare Captured from Skylab