[Illustration: 73. Closeup view of Skylab space-station cluster
photographed against a black-sky background from the _Skylab 3_
Command Module during the “fly around” inspection prior to docking.]
Launched into earth orbit on May 14, 1973, Skylab was a research center
that housed three-man crews on three different visits to the space
station. The longest mission lasted nearly three months.
Equipment and experiments on board the orbiting station were designed to
accommodate four areas of research: earth observation to further
knowledge of natural resources and the earth’s environment; solar
observation to increase understanding of solar processes and influences
on earth’s environment; study of the effects of long duration
weightlessness on man, basic biological processes and adaptability to
space flight conditions; and experiments in processing of materials
under the unique conditions of weightlessness and vacuum environment of
space. All missions were highly successful in obtaining data and
photographs.
Skylab consisted of four major components: the Orbital Work Shop (OWS),
Airlock Module (AM). Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA), and the Apollo
Telescope Mount (ATM).
The cylindrical Orbital Work Shop is 15 meters (48 feet) in length and
6.5 meters (22 feet) in diameter. The workshop is divided into two major
areas by an open-grid partition. By wearing special shoes, the
astronauts can use this grid to anchor themselves in the weightlessness
of space. The lower portion contains the crew quarters, food preparation
and dining areas, washroom, and waste processing and disposal
facilities.
[Illustration: 74. Orbital Workshop crew-quarters installations.]
I
M131 chair control
Sleep compartment 70 sq ft
II
Head 30 sq ft
Wardroom 97 sq ft
III
M507 gravity substitute work bench
Experiment compartment 181 sq ft
M171 gas analyzer
M171 helmet stowage
ESS
IV
M092 LBNPD
Electric power control console
M131 rotating chair
The upper portion contains a large work-activity area, water-storage
tanks, food freezers, film vaults, and experiment equipment.
The Airlock Module enabled spacesuited crew members to make excursions
outside the Skylab to replace or adjust equipment, change film, or carry
out other extra-vehicular activities. This capability was vital to
emergency repairs by the astronauts on the first mission. The Airlock
Module was attached to the OWS and passage to the module was
accomplished through a hatch which connected the module to the interior
of the workshop. When an astronaut entered the module, he would vent the
atmosphere of the module into space. When the pressure in the airlock
reached zero, the crew member could open the outer hatch and float out
into space.
[Illustration: 75. Airlock Module.]
The Multiple Docking Adapter (MDA) was used by crews arriving or
departing from the Skylab workshop. The Apollo command/service modules
delivered crews to the MDA from which the astronauts could enter Skylab
through the hatch in the docking port. In an emergency, two
command/service modules could dock at the MDA. The MDA also held
equipment for earth resources multispectral photography, materials
processing, and astronomy. The Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) was on top
of and controlled by the MDA. It contained six astronomical instruments
to obtain information about the Sun.
[Illustration: 76. Multiple Docking Adapter.]
Solar energy is the prime source of electric power on Skylab. Two
systems of solar electric-cell arrays—one wing on the OWS and four
panels on the ATM—deployed after the Skylab reached orbit. Principal
contractors: OWS—McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company; AM—McDonnell
Douglas Astronautics Company; MDA—Martin Marietta Aerospace.
The Skylab components on display were presented to the museum by the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.