May 14

Space Rocket History #113 – Apollo: Command Module Design and Development 1963-1964

Posted on May 14, 2015

…From the information they gathered on the existing technical problems, Disher and Tischler concluded that prospects were only one in ten that Apollo would land on the moon before the end of the decade….

Full-scale model of the command module, above- the strake aerodynamic devices may be seen at either side of the spacecraft just above the aft heatshield

Removing LM from S=IVB stage

On 16 November 1963 in Cape Canaveral’s Blockhouse 37, NASA’s new manned space flight chief George Mueller

Communications with the moon as the earth turned. Astronauts on the moon’s surface also could talk to one another

Tagged:Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Apollo Soyuz, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Boilerplate, Brainerd Holmes, Canards, Charles Frick, Disher, Downey, Exploration, F 1, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mockup, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Ruben Mettler, Samuel C Phillips, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Service Module, Skylab, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Strakes, Thomas Markley, Tischler, Tower Flaps, Tulsa, William Rector

May 21

Space Rocket History #114 – Apollo: Command Module Design and Development 1963-1964 Part 2

Posted on May 21, 2015

Max Faget’s position was that considering the difficulty of the job, if each mission was successful half the time, it would be well worth the effort. But Gilruth thought that was too low. He want a 90% mission success ratio and a 99% ratio for Ast...

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The cabin section (or primary structure) of the CM is assembled at North American in 1965

The CM probe would slip into the LM’s dish-shaped drogue, and 12 latches on the docking ring would engage, to lock the spacecraft together, airtight

Full-scale model of the service module, resting on a mockup of a spacecraft-lunar module adapter, with panels off to reveal part of the internal arrangement

Jettison of the launch escape system (right) after successful launch, also pulls away the boost protective cover that protects the windows from flame and soot

On the drawing of the launch escape system at upper right, the canard aerodynamic devices are near the top of the escape tower

Tagged:Apollo, Apollo Spacecraft Project Office, Apollo Soyuz, Bellcomm, Block I, Block Ii, Boilerplate, Brainerd Holmes, Canards, Charles Frick, Disher, Downey, Exploration, F 1, Gemini, General Electric, George Low, George Mueller, Gilruth, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Harrison Storms, History, Holmes, Houston, Hugh Dryden, Huntsville, J 2, James Webb, John P Mayer, John Paup, Joseph Shea, Kurt Debus, Langley, Lewis Research Center, Lunar, Lunar Module, Lunar Orbit Rendezvous, Manned Space Flight, Manned Spacecraft Center, Marshall, Marshall Space Flight Center, Max Faget, Mcdonnell, Mercury, Mockup, Mode, Moon, Msc, Msfc, Nasa, North American Aviation, Office Of Manned Space Flight, Project Apollo, Robert Seamans, Rocket, Rocketdyne, Ruben Mettler, Samuel C Phillips, Saturn, Saturn I, Saturn Ib, Saturn V, Seamans, Service Module, Skylab, Space, Space Technology Laboratories, Strakes, Thomas Markley, Tischler, Tower Flaps, Tulsa, William Rector

Mar 23

Space Rocket History #154 – Apollo 7 – The Crew

Posted on March 23, 2016

Had it not been for the fact that Eisele damaged his shoulder during a zero-G training flight aboard a KC-135 aircraft just before Christmas 1965, he might have been in the senior pilot’s seat aboard Apollo 1, instead of Ed White.

3-Cunningham during the Apollo 7 mission

2-Donn_F._Eisele prior to launch of ap17

1- Schirra as the Commander of Apollo 7 crew

Tagged:Alan Shepard, Apollo 1, Apollo 10, Apollo 13, Apollo 4, Apollo 5, Apollo 6, Apollo 7, Apollo Stack, Commandservice Module, Csm, Deke Slayton, Donald Slayton, Donn Eisele, Downey, Duane Graveline, Eagle Scout, Edward H White, F 4h, F7u 3, Fj 3, Florida, Gemini, Goodfellow, Grumman, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Guenter Wendt, Gus Grissom, Houston, Huntsville, Jim Webb, Langley Research Center, Lm 3, Marshall Space Flight Center, Mercury, Michoud, Mike Collins, Mississippi Test, Mueller, Naca, Nasa Distinguished Service Medals, North American Rockwell, Peace Corps, President Johnson, Roger Chaffee, S Ii, Satuen Ib, Saturn V, Skylab, Tyndall, Wally Schirra, Walter Cunningham, Wernher Von Braun, Wheelus, Wright Patterson

Sep 28

Space Rocket History #178 – Apollo 9 – The Crew – McDivitt, Scott, Schweickart

Posted on September 28, 2016

James Alton “Jim” McDivitt was born on June 10, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois. He is of Irish descent. Like many other astronauts, he was a Boy Scout and earned the rank of Tenderfoot Scout. He graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School, Kalamazoo,...

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jamesmcdivitt

Tagged:Alexey Leonov, Apollo 12, Apollo 15, Apollo 9, Astronaut Group 2, Astronaut Group 3, Boy Scouts, Dave Scott, David Scott, Deke Slayton, Dow Air Force Base, Ed White, Gemini 4, Gemini 8, James Mcdivitt, Jim Mcdivitt, Massesschutes Institute Technology, Mit, Nasa, Neil Armstrong, Russell Schweickart, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Soesterberg Air Base, Texas Military Institute, University Of Michigan, Vostok 5, Webb Air Force Base, West Point, Williams Air Force Base

Apr 6

Space Rocket History #386 – Skylab – Pre-history

Posted on April 6, 2022

A scant five months after Apollo 17 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in December of 1972, NASA launched Skylab to begin a new phase of American manned spaceflight – space station operations.

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P2-wetstage a home in space

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Tagged:A Home In Space, Apollo 17, Apollo A, Apollo Soyuz, Atlas, Brick Moon, Gemini, Mercury, Outpost, Skylab, Wernher Von Braun

Apr 20

Space Rocket History #387 – Skylab – Pre-history – Dyna-Soar & MOL

Posted on April 20, 2022

NASA feasibility studies determined that a research space laboratory could be placed in orbit by 1967. However, to fund such a project it had to be justified by achieving a national goal, or an important science goal, or test of technology.

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P2-MOL_configuration

Tagged:Dyna Soar, Gemini, Gemini B, Gemini Blue, Manned Orbiting Laboratory, Mercury, Mol, Skylab, Titan Iii

May 4

Space Rocket History #388 – Skylab – Pre-history – MOL Part 2

Posted on May 4, 2022

Strangely enough the MOL astronauts only knew of the cover story that the program would be a space laboratory for military experiments and did not learn of the reconnaissance role until after selection.

P2-Early_mockup_of_MOL_laboratory_module_interior

P3-Gemini-B_Heat_Shield with hatch

P1-MOL_01

Tagged:Abrahamson, Albert Crews, Bobko, Crippen, Gemini B, Gemini Blue, Hartsfield, Lachlan Macleay, Manned Orbiting Laboratory, Mol, Skylab, Titan Iii, Truly

May 18

Space Rocket History #389 – Skylab – Pre-history – MOL Part 3

Posted on May 18, 2022

A planning document depicted 12-man and 40-man stations, both with self-defense capability. It described the 40-man, Y-shaped station as a “spaceborne command post” in synchronous orbit. The key requirement was “post attack survivability”, the statio...

P2-Titan-3C_MOL-Gemini-B-Test_3

P3-MOL Command Post

P1-MOL_spacesuit

Tagged:Albert Crews, Bobko, Crippen, Ddre, Gemini B, Manned Orbiting Laboratory, Mol, Nro, Robert Mcnamara, Skylab, Titan Iii, Truly

Jun 1

Space Rocket History #390 – Skylab – Pre-history – MOL Part 4 & Extending Apollo

Posted on June 1, 2022

On June 7th 1969, General Stewart ordered all work on Gemini B, the Titan IIIM and the MOL spacesuit, to cease and to cancel or curtail all other contracts. The official announcement that the MOL had been canceled was made on June 10th.

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P3-AX in 1964Shayler

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Tagged:Apollo X, Bobko, Crippen, Deke Slayton, Gemini B, Manned Orbiting Laboratory, Mol, Nro, Skylab, Titan Iii, Wernher Von Braun

Jun 15

Space Rocket History #391 – Skylab – Pre-history – Apollo Applications Program

Posted on June 15, 2022

The Apollo Applications Program (AAP) was created in 1966 by NASA headquarters to develop science-based human spaceflight missions using hardware developed for the Apollo program.

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P1-SSESM Concept

Tagged:Aap, Aes, Apollo Applications Program, Apollo Extension System, George Mueller, Skylab, Ssesm, Wernher Von Braun

Jun 29

Space Rocket History #392 – Skylab – Let’s Call it Skylab

Posted on June 29, 2022

On February 1970, Nasa announced that the AAP had been renamed. America’s first space station would enter the history books as Skylab.

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P3-dryConceptWasteFood

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Tagged:Aap, Apollo Applications Program, George Mueller, Ows, Skylab, Wernher Von Braun

Jul 13

Space Rocket History #393 – Skylab – Soyuz Mission

Posted on July 13, 2022

During 1970-1972, a possible fourth “new” docking mission with Skylab was considered. This new mission would not be just another Apollo docking, instead it was a radically different idea.

P1-Soyuz Skylab

P3-Test Article

P2-MDA

Tagged:George Mueller, Keldysh, Ows, Salyut, Skylab, Soyuz, Thomas Paine, William Schneider

Jul 27

Space Rocket History #394 – Skylab – The Tour Part 1

Posted on July 27, 2022

As a crew would approach Skylab in their Apollo Command Module, they would see its docking port that was called the Multiple Docking Adapter or MDA.

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P3-Lockers

P2-Workshop Cut

P3-Test Article

P2-MDA

P1-Soyuz Skylab

Tagged:Airlock Module, Apollo Telescope Mount, Jack Lousma, Jim Kerwin, Multiple Docking Adapter, Orbiting Workshop, Pete Conrad, Skylab

Aug 10

Space Rocket History #395 – Skylab – The Tour Part 2

Posted on August 10, 2022

Skylab had three bedrooms or sleep compartments, one for each astronaut aboard. To save space, the beds were arranged vertically in the quarters.

P2-Lousma Demonstrates Shower

P3-Owen_Garriott_sleeping_during_SKylab_3

P1-SkylabToliet

Tagged:Airlock Module, Apollo Telescope Mount, Ergometer, Jack Lousma, Jim Kerwin, Orbiting Workshop, Owen K Garriott, Skylab

Aug 24

Space Rocket History #396 – Skylab – The Astronauts Part 1

Posted on August 24, 2022

“Pete wanted to do Skylab and we both felt that we did not want the moon program to get crowded, other people deserved chances too.” Al Bean

P1-Skylab 9

P3-Skylab 3 astronaut Alan L. Bean, foreground, commander scientist-astronaut Owen K. Garriott, left, science pilot and astronaut Jack R. Lousma, pilot

P2-The Skylab 2 astronauts, Paul J. Weitz, pilot Charles Conrad, Jr., mission commander; and Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin, science pilot

Tagged:Al Bean, Carr, Gibson, Jack Lousma, Joe Kerwin, Owen K Garriott, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Pogue, Skylab

Sep 7

Space Rocket History #397 – Skylab – The Astronauts Part 2 – Garriott & Gibson

Posted on September 7, 2022

“I started out being president of my first grade class, two years in a row.” Ed Gibson

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P1-Owen_Garriott

Tagged:Carr, Ed Gibson, Owen Garriott, Pogue, Skylab

Sep 21

Space Rocket History #398 – Skylab – The Astronauts Part 3 – Kerwin & Lousma

Posted on September 21, 2022

“Farewell, Aquarius, and we thank you.” Joe Kerwin

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Tagged:Carr, Kerwin, Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Weitz

Oct 5

Space Rocket History #399 – Skylab – The Astronauts Part 4 – Lousma & Carr

Posted on October 5, 2022

Carr was in the likely crew rotation position to serve as lunar module pilot for Apollo 19 and walk on the Moon before the mission was canceled by NASA in 1970.

P3-Carr demonstrates weightlessness by balancing Skylab 4 crewmate William Pogue on his finger

P1-Lousma_in_Lower_Body_Negative_Pressure_Device

P2-Gerald_P._Carr_2

Tagged:Carr, Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Weitz

Oct 19

Space Rocket History #400 – Skylab – The Astronauts Part 5 – Pogue & Weitz

Posted on October 19, 2022

Bill Pogue served with the Thunderbirds as an aerobatics pilot from 1955 to 1957.

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P3 Wietz Donald_Peterson_i_sts6

P1-William_Pogue

Tagged:Pogue, Skylab, Weitz

Nov 2

Space Rocket History #401 – Skylab – Training Part 1

Posted on November 2, 2022

Aside from physically training for the longest crewed missions that the United States had ever attempted, the actual training program was developed simultaneously with the hardware and experiments for the mission.

2-Pete Conrad Training

3-PeteTrainingMDA in Skylab Trainer Jsc

1-Skylab2PrelaunchTraining

Tagged:Bean, Carr, Conrad, Ed Gibson, Garriott, Gene Kranz, Lousma, Phil Shaffer, Pogue, Shepard, Skylab, Slayton, Story Musgrave, Tony England, Training, Vance Brand, Weitz

Nov 16

Space Rocket History #402 – Skylab – Training Part 2

Posted on November 16, 2022

The backup crew and some support crew participated in an interesting rescue scenario with 2 astronauts flying to Skylab to take back the crew of 3 onboard Skylab. This would mean 5 astronauts returning to earth in the command module.

1-Neutral_Buoyancy_Simulator_upper_level

3-3rdCrewMissionTrainingatJSC

2-GibsonATM

Tagged:Bean, Carr, Conrad, Don L Lind, Ed Gibson, Garriott, Shepard, Skylab, Slayton, Training, Vance Brand, Weitz

Dec 1

Space Rocket History #403 – Skylab – S.M.E.A.T. – Skylab Mission 0

Posted on December 1, 2022

This SMEAT crew would test out various elements of the Skylab equipment and procedures in a series of trials, ending in a full-scale simulation that was set at 56 days.

1-EnteringSmeat

2-BobkoLBNPChamber

3-ThortonBicycleErg

Tagged:Bobko, Crippen, Mol, S M E A T, Skylab, Smeat, Thornton

Dec 14

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

Posted on December 14, 2022

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.

P2-Skylab 1-2

P3-Skylab-1-launch

P1-Micrometeorid Shield

Tagged:Joe Kerwin, Micrometeoroid Shield, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Saturn 1b, Saturn V, Skylab, Skylab 1, Skylab 2

Jan 4

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

Posted on January 4, 2023

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...

P2-MakingSunShadetiff

P3-ShadeDeploymentTest

P1-How the shield was torn off

Tagged:Joe Kerwin, Micrometeoroid Shield, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Saturn 1b, Saturn V, Shade, Skylab, Skylab 1, Skylab 2

Jan 18

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

Posted on January 18, 2023

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.

P3-Fly Around

P1

P2-Liftoff

Tagged:Joe Kerwin, Micrometeoroid Shield, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Saturn 1b, Saturn V, Shade, Skylab, Skylab 1, Skylab 2

Feb 1

Space Rocket History #407 – Skylab – “We Can Fix Anything”

Posted on February 1, 2023

During the stand up EVA, Kerwin held Weitz while he pulled at the debris several times which disturbed the stability of the Skylab station and caused the Skylabs gyros to compensate. This was a big problem because it nearly pulled Weitz out of the ha...

P1-ParasolDeployment

P3-CompletedRepair

P2-SolarWing EVA

Tagged:Ed Gibson, Joe Kerwin, Micrometeoroid Shield, Parasol, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Skylab 2

Feb 15

Space Rocket History #408 – Skylab – Skylab 2 – Days 2-7 & 10th Anniversary Celebration

Posted on February 15, 2023

NASA’s first priority was to get Skylab back into solar inertial attitude. This was both the coolest attitude and would point the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) solar arrays directly at the sun. Thus the crew would have the most electrical power possi...

P2-Astronaut Paul Weitz prepares to use bicycle ergometer

P3-Weitz Skylab 2 pilot mans the control and display console of the Apollo Telescope Mount

P1-Lower Body Negative Pressure Experiment

Tagged:Apollo Telescope Mount, Ashton Graybiel, Bicycle Ergometer, Earth Resources Experiment Package, Joe Kerwin, Parasol, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Skylab 2

Mar 1

Space Rocket History #409 – Skylab – Skylab 2 – Days 8-23

Posted on March 1, 2023

“Houston, Skylab. I’d like you to be the first to know that the PLT is the proud father of a genuine flare.” Joe Kerwin

P3-ATM

P2-Skylab 500

P1-PeteBike

Tagged:Apollo Telescope Mount, Bicycle Ergometer, Earth Resources Experiment Package, Ed Gibson, Joe Kerwin, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Skylab 2

Mar 16

Space Rocket History #410 – Skylab – Skylab 2 – Days 24-28

Posted on March 16, 2023

On Mission day 25, the crew was informed that they had surpassed the Russian space endurance record set by Soyuz 11 on Salyut 1 in 1971.

P5-Trash

P4-DiagTrash

P3-Fecal

P2-Hygine

P1-Sleep

Tagged:Apollo Telescope Mount, Earth Resources Experiment Package, Joe Kerwin, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Skylab 2

Apr 5

Space Rocket History #411 – Skylab – Skylab 2 – Splashdown

Posted on April 5, 2023

Before the astronauts could leave there was one final problem to solve. Skylab’s refrigeration system began warming up. Houston immediately went to work on finding a solution. Now, there was some concern that the crews return would be delayed.

Untitled

P3-Crew Egress

P2-splashdown-of-skylab-2

Tagged:Apollo Telescope Mount, Joe Kerwin, Paul Weitz, Pete Conrad, Rusty Schweickart, Skylab, Skylab 2

Apr 19

Space Rocket History #412 – Skylab – The Launch of Skylab 3

Posted on April 19, 2023

The crew complement for the Skylab 3 mission was 783 life forms (52 fish, 720 flies, 6 mice, 2 spiders and 3 humans), by far the largest crew yet.

P3-Skylab 3 Launch

P2-leaving for pad

Skylab 3 astronauts

Tagged:Al Bean, Apollo Telescope Mount, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3

May 3

Space Rocket History #413 – Skylab – Skylab 3-Rendezvous, Docking & Vomit

Posted on May 3, 2023

Garriott was in the center couch and Lousma was on his right with a small window near his seat, Suddenly Jack announced, “Owen, there goes one of our thrusters floating by the window!”

P3-Skylab viewed from approaching 2nd crew

P2-SM Thruster Quad pack

P1-Skylab 3 emblem

Tagged:Al Bean, Apollo Telescope Mount, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Thruster, Vomit

May 17

Space Rocket History #414 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Rescue Mission Part 1

Posted on May 17, 2023

“I think for me that was probably the low point of the mission because it threatened our ability to get our job done, and I wasn’t willing to come home. I’ve never been afraid of space, but that was a fear that I had (losing the mission) more than a...

P1-Skylab_rescue_cm

P2-Vance Brand and Don Lind, the crew for the unflown Skylab Rescue mission-Skylab_rescue_crew

P3-Multiple Docking Adapter

Tagged:Al Bean, Don Lind, Jack Lousma, Multiple Docking Adapter, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Thruster, Vance Brand

Jun 1

Space Rocket History #415 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Rescue Mission Part 2

Posted on June 1, 2023

“Near the end of our preparation period, management said; Well, we believe, we can do this, now let’s set about to see how we can get them down without expending the resources for a rescue mission. So just overnight we changed goals.” Vance Brand

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Tagged:Al Bean, Don Lind, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Slayton, Thruster, Tom Stafford, Vance Brand

Jun 14

Space Rocket History #416 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Wives, Spiders, Minnows and a Spacewalk

Posted on June 14, 2023

“I had to connect eleven five-foot sections of aluminum poles, twice, forming two long poles. These were then extended to Jack some forty or fifty feet away, where the poles were mounted in a ‘V’, and a large ‘sail’ pulled across them with nylon line...

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P2-Lousma begins eva

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Tagged:Al Bean, Anita, Arabella, Flare, Jack Lousma, Jsc, Marshall Space Flight Center, Minnows, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Spider, Sunshade, Thruster, Twin Pole

Jun 28

Space Rocket History #417 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Maximum Effort, Determination, Efficiency, and Accomplishment

Posted on June 28, 2023

Finally, the crew became efficient enough to get all of the work done that was scheduled for a given day. But, that did not make up for the time lost at the beginning of the mission. Reaching 100 percent efficiency was not enough for Bean. ht...

P3-Al Bean

Tagged:Al Bean, Apollo Telescope Mount, Flare, George Low, Jack Lousma, Jim Fletcher, Jsc, Marshall Space Flight Center, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Thruster, White Light Coronagraph

Jul 13

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

Posted on July 13, 2023

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.

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Tagged:Al Bean, Amu, Apollo Telescope Mount, Coronal Mass Ejection, Enid, Flare, Hhmu, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3

Jul 26

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

Posted on July 26, 2023

“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

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Tagged:Al Bean, Apollo Telescope Mount, Bob Crippen, Helen Garriott, Jack Lousma, Karl Heinze, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3

Aug 10

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

Posted on August 10, 2023

“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 reconf...

P2-splashdown-of-skylab-3-nasascience-photo-library

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P1-Skylab_3_parachute_deployment

Tagged:Al Bean, Don Lind, Helen Garriott, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Vance Brand, Wally Schirra

Aug 23

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

Posted on August 23, 2023

“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 ...

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Tagged:Al Bean, Bill Thornton, Jack Lousma, Kenneth Kleinknecht, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Smeat, Uss New Orleans, Wally Schirra

Sep 7

Space Rocket History #422 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Kohoutek, Experiments, Flight Prep & Training

Posted on September 7, 2023

In space, on the day the second crew left Skylab, which was September 25, 1973, the orbital workshop began it’s third unmanned period.

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Tagged:Al Bean, Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Kenneth Kleinknecht, Kohoutek, Skylab, Skylab 4, William Pogue

Sep 22

Space Rocket History #423 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Launch & The Vomit Bag Scandal

Posted on September 22, 2023

“As we rode, the big blue eyes of Al Shepard bored into each of us looking for any sign of weakness, any indication that one of these rookies was not ready to go. I looked back with a defiant smile, ‘Not you, Big Al, or anyone else is getting my seat...

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Tagged:Al Bean, Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Kenneth Kleinknecht, Skylab, Skylab 4, William Pogue

Oct 6

Space Rocket History #424 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Stowaways & We Lost Gibson

Posted on October 6, 2023

One stowaway was on the bicycle ergometer, another was in the LBNP (lower body negative pressure device), and the third was sitting on the toilet in the waste management compartment.

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Tagged:Al Bean, Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Skylab, Skylab 4, William Pogue

Oct 19

Space Rocket History #425 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – The Strike (Fake News)

Posted on October 19, 2023

“There was no strike in space by any stretch of the imagination. What could we threaten to do, go live on the moon? If any of these writers had gotten their information from just one of us, the crew or other people directly involved, responsible repo...

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P2-Gibson ATM

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P3-Gibson prep meal

Tagged:Al Bean, Chis Kraft, Don Paddy, Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Kohoutek, Nell Hutchinson, Russell Schweickart, Skylab, Skylab 4, Strike, William Pogue

Nov 3

Space Rocket History #426 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – The First EVA

Posted on November 3, 2023

“Nothing was outside, three times I went out that hatch into the ‘truly great outdoors.’ When I was out there, it was a silent world, except for the whispers of my own breath. Sometimes I felt totally alone, like the world below didn’t even know I wa...

Tagged:Barium Cloud, Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Kohoutek, Skylab, Skylab 4, William Pogue

Nov 17

Space Rocket History #427 – Skylab – Skylab 4 – Christmas in Space

Posted on November 17, 2023

“We and everybody on the ground thought that it was going to be a beautiful, brilliant comet. It turned out to be beautiful all right, but it was so faint that we really had to work to find it. Once we did find it, we observed a gorgeous thing: small...

P1-Tree Decoration

P3-Kouhoutek

P2-KohoutekFromEVA

Tagged:Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Kohoutek, Skylab, Skylab 4, William Pogue

Dec 1

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

Posted on December 1, 2023

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.

P1-Nasa k

P3-TAL

P2-Skylab Food

Tagged:Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Kohoutek, Skylab, Skylab 4, William Pogue

Dec 15

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

Posted on December 15, 2023

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 orb...

P1-Skylab_Solar_flare-NASA-photo-posted-on-SpaceFlight-Insider

P3-Skylab

P2- Skylab

Tagged:Apollo Telescope Mount, Atm, Ed Gibson, Eva, Jerry Carr, Skylab, Skylab 4, Solar Flare, William Pogue

Jan 5

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

Posted on January 5, 2024

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 poi...

P1

P3-skylab4_GibsonPogueCarr

P2

Tagged:Ed Gibson, Jerry Carr, Skylab, Skylab 4, Splashdown, William Pogue

Jan 19

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

Posted on January 19, 2024

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.

P2-Skylab B Smith

P3-Saturn V Houston

P1-S5 Crew Brand, Lenoir, Lind

Tagged:Apollo 18, Apollo 19, Don Lind, Lenoir, Saturn V, Skylab, Skylab 5, Skylab B, Vance Brand

Feb 2

Space Rocket History #432 – Skylab – Reboost

Posted on February 2, 2024

The official decision to proceed with the Skylab reboost mission was made on September 1st 1977, initiating a two-year preparation period for the development and production of the required hardware and systems.

P2-Teleoperator_Retrieval_System_with_Shuttle

P3-STS-3_launchMarc

P1-Teleoperator_Retrieval_System

Tagged:Apollo 18, Fred Haise, Jack Lousma, President Carter, Robert Frosh, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Sts 3, Teleoperator Retrieval System, Vance Brand

Feb 18

Space Rocket History #433 – Skylab – Crashdown

Posted on February 18, 2024

Despite predictions, events seldom occur precisely as expected. The calculated breakup altitude of Skylab was based on its intended structural strength specifications. However, the actual vehicle was stronger than the specified strength requirements.

P3-skylab-reentry-impact-map

P2-OGarriott_Skylab_OxygenTank

P1-skylab_reentry_mcc_jul_11_1979_s79-34355

Tagged:Australia, Charles Harlan, Ed Gibson, Esperance, Garriott, Hans Kennel, Iss, Joe Kerwin, Kraft, Norad, Perth, Robert Frosh, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Teleoperator Retrieval System, Vance Brand

Sep 28

Space Rocket History #448 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Soyuz/Skylab & Apollo/Salyut

Posted on September 28, 2024

Two options were presented: Apollo docking with Salyut/Soyuz or Soyuz with Skylab/Apollo. Caldwell Johnson was taken aback by the Soviets’ eagerness to immediately pursue the development of a universal docking mechanism.

3-Apollo Salyut

2-Soyuz Skylab

1-Apollo-Soyuz-Astronomy

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Arnold Frutkin, Astp, Caldwell Johnson, Feoktistov, George Hardy, George Low, Glynn Lunney, Keldysh, Petrov, Robert Gilruth, Salyut, Skylab

Oct 11

Space Rocket History #449 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Apollo-Salyut Test Mission Planning

Posted on October 11, 2024

The spacecraft designers led by Caldwell Johnson faced a demanding task. Director Gilruth urged them to accelerate the development of the docking adapter design, aiming to have a functional model ready for the upcoming November meeting with the Sovie...

1-Apollo-Salyut Hardware

2-Compatable Rendezvous Systems

3-Preliminary DM

Tagged:Apollo Salyut, Apollo Soyuz, Arnold Frutkin, Astp, Bill Creasy, Bushuyev, Caldwell Johnson, Covington, Docking Module, George Hardy, George Low, Glynn Lunney, International Rendezvous And Docking Mission, James Jones, Petrov, Robert Gilruth, Salyut, Skylab, Soyuz 11

Jun 6

Space Rocket History #465 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Epilogue

Posted on June 6, 2025

Due to the deterioration of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union in the late 1970s, no follow-on missions to ASTP took place. A backup Apollo spacecraft and Saturn IB rocket were available and there were some discussions of possib...

P3-crewmembers pose with the Apollo Command Module from their mission

P2-President Ford at the White House during the tour of the United States

P1-Stafford, Leonov, Brand, Kubasov, and Slayton in Moscow during the tour of the Soviet Union

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Arnold Aldrich, Astp, Baykonur, Bobko, Chris Kraft, Crippen, Deke Slaton, Ellington Air Force Base, George Low, Gerald R Ford, Glynn Lunney, Iss, John F Kennedy, Jsc, Kiev, Kubasov, Leningrad, Leonov, Mir, Novosibirsk, Rockwell, Saturn Ib, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Star City, Tbilisi, Tom Stafford, Uss New Orleans, Vance Brand, Volgograd

Episodes Tagged with "Skylab"