50 years ago, Skylab's accidental rebels put Mission Control on mute

It's been 50 years since the final Skylab crew launched and docked with America's first space station for an eventful 84 days in space. The all-rookie crew of Jerry Carr, Ed Gibson, and Bill Pogue were launched from Kennedy Space Center's LC-39B pad in November 1973 aboard the penultimate Saturn 1B. Skylab 4 went down in …

[Oh Matron!]

Smithsonian in DC

Have a Skylab: It's amazing what they managed to cram into a stage of the Saturn. But, also grim too. It has none of the home comforts that the ISS has. But, you get to peek inside and see just how incredible the astronauts were at the time.

[NoneSuch]

Re: Smithsonian in DC

The SkyLab "hamster wheel" for exercising looked like fun.

https://imgs.search.brave.com/kCtwrcfbfL5J89sOHQP3u1EnZYUZ2ZTQ0ujUk7NAsTQ/rs:fit:860:0:0/g:ce/aHR0cHM6Ly9pLnN0/YWNrLmltZ3VyLmNv/bS9MbzJ0TS5naWY.gif

[ravenviz]

Re: Smithsonian in DC

Yes for about 2 minutes.

[Gene Cash]

Re: Smithsonian in DC

Actually, I'd rather be on Skylab than ISS.

ISS is a cramped broom closet by comparison, and Skylab had a shower, which wasn't actually that useful, but it worked.

The ISS Cupola is incredible, however.

[Gene Cash]

Thanks for doing it right

Thanks for setting the record straight and saying what actually happened.

As a "space nut" it's always frustrating to see the same BS repeated everywhere, and it's very refreshing to see it done right.

[Cruachan]

Re: Thanks for doing it right

Always seems like the story gets mixed up between this mission and Apollo 7, where there was a lot of conflict between the crew and CAPCOM.

[Uncle Slacky]

"None of the trio ever flew in space again"

Which has long been assumed to be NASA's "revenge" for them going on "strike".

[Will Godfrey]

Re: "None of the trio ever flew in space again"

Hmmm...

Ass U me

[Lord Elpuss]

Re: "None of the trio ever flew in space again"

Why be a dick?

[MOH]

As an IT geek who's spent years trying to get the job done right, properly, while keeping mid level managers happy: this is quite comforting.

The crew knew their own limits and did what they had to. in circumstances I can't even imagine.

[Snake]

RE: limits

Exactly. The mid-level managers, not even there, were yelling to "Work harder!" and, when they couldn't, *they* are the ones made out to be guilty?!

NASA should have been called out for this, not the astronauts. The guys had their lives on the line, Mission Control sits there in comfort.

[mantavani]

Re: RE: limits

Well, this is why CAPCOM always was (certainly was then, and still is today at critical mission points) someone in the astronaut corps. They were better able to appreciate the situation in-orbit.

[Binraider]

Concerning "concealing" medical data - earlier Apollo moon missions did exactly the same reporting certain issues over the tape download rather than broadcast to all and sundry. Bloody bureaucrats changing the rules.

Good to see Skylab's legacy being given credit.

[JacobZ]

Surprising

I had no idea there were so few missions to Skylab, nor that it was designed for such a short life.

[Binraider]

Re: Surprising

There was a plausible plan for a shuttle re-boost mission, though obviously it came a bit too late.

[mantavani]

Re: Surprising

Apollo Applications was one of the most innovative, forward-thinking, what-can-achieve-on-a-shoestring programmes of the whole period. What else are you going to do with a spare S-IVB, stick it in a museum? ;) still, it's amazing that any science was done given the damage inflicted during launch.

[Anonymous Coward]

Skylab crashed in Western Australia

And was immediately infested with snakes and spiders…

[Exeterism]

Re: Skylab crashed in Western Australia

Snakes On A Skylab?