|
SKYLAB:
SCIENCE IN SPACE
|
Skylab
was equipped with instruments and experiments to:
- Observe the Earth
to study natural resources and the environment
- Observe the Sun
to study high-energy solar activity
- Study the effects
of weightlessness on the human body and assess crew adaptation
to long-duration spaceflight
- Study materials
processing in microgravity
- Perform experiments
submitted by students for a "Classroom in Space"
|
| Skylab
x-ray image of the Sun. |
|
SCIENTIST-ASTRONAUTS
| Because
Skylab was a research laboratory, the composition of the crew differed
from that of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. Except for
one scientist on the last Apollo mission, all previous crew members
had been pilots. The Skylab crews included scientists and pilots.
The scientist-astronauts were recruited as a group in 1965. All Skylab
crew members were trained to conduct scientific experiments, but the
science pilot held overall responsibility for onboard research. |
FIRST
SKYLAB CREW
(L to R) Astronauts
Joseph P. Kerwin, science
pilot;
Charles Conrad Jr.,
commander;
Paul J. Weitz, pilot.
Launch: May 25, 1973
Mission duration: 28
days
Landing: June 22, 1973
|
|
SECOND
SKYLAB CREW
(L to R) Astronauts
Owen K. Garriott, science
pilot;
Jack R. Lousma, pilot;
Alan L. Bean, commander.
Launch: July 28, 1973
Mission duration: 59
days
Landing: September
25, 1973
|
|
THIRD
SKYLAB CREW
(L to R) Astronauts
William R. Pogue, pilot;
Edward G. Gibson, science
pilot;
Gerald P. Carr, commander.
Launch: November 16,
1973
Mission duration: 84
days
Landing: February 8,
1974
|
|
| This
crew held the U.S. record for length of time in space until 1995,
when astronaut Norman E. Thagard spent 115 days on a mission aboard
the Russian space station Mir and the U.S. Space Shuttle. In 1996
astronaut Shannon W. Lucid set a new U.S. record of 188 days aboard
the Shuttle and Mir. |
|
