SKYLAB, THE USA FIRST SPACE STATION, IS LAUNCHED

Today, The Grandma has received the wonderful visit of Joseph de Ca'th Lon, one of her closest friends.

Joseph loves Astronomy and they have been talking about Skylab, the US first space station that was launched on a day like today in 1973.

Skylab was the United States' first space station, launched by NASA, occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974. It was operated by three trios of astronaut crews: Skylab 2, Skylab 3, and Skylab 4.

Operations included an orbital workshop, a solar observatory, Earth observation and hundreds of experiments. Skylab's orbit eventually decayed and it disintegrated in the atmosphere on July 11, 1979, scattering debris across the Indian Ocean and Western Australia.

As of 2024, Skylab was the only space station operated exclusively by the United States. A permanent station was planned starting in 1988, but its funding was canceled and U.S. participation shifted to the International Space Station in 1993.

Skylab had a mass of 90,610 kg with a 14,000 kg Apollo command and service module (CSM) attached and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and several hundred life science and physical science experiments. It was launched uncrewed into low Earth orbit by a Saturn V rocket modified to be similar to the Saturn INT-21, with the S-IVB third stage not available for propulsion because the orbital workshop was built out of it. This was the final flight for the rocket more commonly known for carrying the crewed Apollo Moon landing missions. Three subsequent missions delivered three-astronaut crews in the Apollo CSM launched by the smaller Saturn IB rocket.

More information: NASA

Skylab included the Apollo Telescope Mount (a multi-spectral solar observatory), a multiple docking adapter with two docking ports, an airlock module with extravehicular activity (EVA) hatches, and the orbital workshop, the main habitable space inside Skylab. Electrical power came from solar arrays and fuel cells in the docked Apollo CSM. The rear of the station included a large waste tank, propellant tanks for maneuvering jets, and a heat radiator. Astronauts conducted numerous experiments aboard Skylab during its operational life.

Prior to departure about 80 experiments were named, although they are also described as almost 300 separate investigations.

Experiments were divided into six broad categories:

-Life science -human physiology, biomedical research; circadian rhythms (mice, gnats)

-Solar physics and astronomy -sun observations (eight telescopes and separate instrumentation); Comet Kohoutek (Skylab 4); stellar observations; space physics

-Earth resources -mineral resources; geology; hurricanes; land and vegetation patterns

-Material science -welding, brazing, metal melting; crystal growth; water / fluid dynamics

-Student research -19 different student proposals. Several experiments were commended by the crew, including a dexterity experiment and a test of web-spinning by spiders in low gravity.

-Other -human adaptability, ability to work, dexterity; habitat design/operations.

Because the solar scientific airlock -one of two research airlocks- was unexpectedly occupied by the "parasol" that replaced the missing meteorite shield, a few experiments were instead installed outside with the telescopes during spacewalks or shifted to the Earth-facing scientific airlock.

More information: NASA

The space station is the most unique laboratory
we've ever built.
The reason we have it is to do research
on materials, people, medical matters,
pharmaceuticals - the possibilities are nearly endless.

John Glenn