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 05

Space Rocket History #430 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Leaving Skylab

Activating the station upon arrival was a challenge, but packing up to return home was also a major event that took several days. For Carr and his crew, this was the last planned visit, but they left open the possibility of a return visit at some point in the future.

Departure Fly-around

Splashdown Skylab 4

Gibson-Pogue-Carr on Recovery Ship

Dec 15

Space Rocket History #429 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Solar Observations and the Last EVA

The next time an American would venture outside of a spacecraft would be on a Space Shuttle flight and that was nine years later. In less than a decade, from June 1965 to February 1974, American astronauts had learned to effectively work in Earth orbit, had left their footprints on the moon, and had walked in space. 

Skylab – Solar Flare

Skylab Spacewalk

Skylab Spacewalk

Dec 01

Space Rocket History #428 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Kohoutek in all its Glory

This crew was the first to celebrate a new year in space 17 times as they orbited the earth and moved through the time zones.

Kohoutek

Skylab Food & Tray

Trash Air Lock over the LOX Tank