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Skylab Student Project: Summary Description

In 1971 the NASA conceived the Skylab student project in an effort to involve the general public in the Skylab program. The primary aim of this project was to stimulate national interest in science and technology. NASA decided to direct the Skylab student project to those young people who have indicated an interest in science and technology and to foster this interest through direct participation in an ongoing program emphasizing as wide a spectrum of science and technology as possible. Skylab, with the opportunity it gives to provide experiments in areas of science and technology provided the ideal opportunity for such participation. In implementing this project, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), having an existing, closely associated contact with students, grades 9 through 12, in United States schools, was asked to sponsor, organize, and administer a national competition for high school students. This competition called for individual students (or groups of students) to develop meaningful experiments to be flown on Skylab. To facilitate the organization and administration of this program, the NSTA divided the participating students into their 12 geographical regions with a regional chairmen appointed to receive all proposals for his region. The regional chairmen then appointed a committee of eminent scientists, engineers, and science educators to evaluate each proposal. Some 80,000 applications were requested by teachers and 3409 proposals were submitted. Moreover, because of team proposals, over 4000 students participated and approximately 300 regional winners selected. Each participant received a certification of merit. The 300 winning regional proposals were transmitted to the NSTA headquarters where they were further screened. In March of 1972 twenty-five national winners and 22 special mentions were announced. The 25 winning students were then assigned science advisers at the George C. Marshall Space Flight center (MSFC), the center selected by NASA to be responsible for development of the student project. The Johnson Space Center (JSC) also provided science advisors and valuable support.

Floyd, Henry B.↗

An overview of NASA's space program

During the last several years, the NASA space program entered a new era. With the completion of the Apollo and Skylab programs, NASA places emphasis within its space effort on three main objectives: (1) improving the access to space and the ability to capitalize on this new capability; (2) developing the space and ground systems that will collect and interpret data related to the changing nature of the earth's natural and cultural resources to aid in solving resource and environmental problems facing the entire world; and (3) adding to the storehouse of knowledge through the continued exploration of our solar system and the universe. The paper discusses the importance of the joint USA/USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), describes the capability and status of the Space Shuttle, and outlines the important role that these two programs played in extending our ability to make more effective use of this space environment. It also summarizes the capability and the plans for satellites to monitor the earth's natural and cultural resources and to assess environmental quality. The NASA programs for exploring the solar system and the universe is reviewed.

Thome, P. G.↗

History of Nutrition in Space Flight: Overview

Major accomplishments in nutritional sciences for support of human space travel have occurred over the past 40 y. This article reviews these accomplishments, beginning with the early Gemini program and continuing through the impressive results from the first space station Skylab program that focused on life sciences research, the Russian contributions through the Mir space station, the US Shuttle life sciences research, and the emerging International Space Station missions. Nutrition is affected by environmental conditions such as radiation, temperature, and atmospheric pressures, and these are reviewed. Nutrition with respect to space flight is closely interconnected with other life sciences research disciplines including the study of hematology, immunology, as well as neurosensory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, circadian rhythms, and musculoskeletal physiology. These relationships are reviewed in reference to the overall history of nutritional science in human space flight. Cumulative nutritional research over the past four decades has resulted in the current nutritional requirements for astronauts. Space-flight nutritional recommendations are presented along with the critical path road map that outlines the research needed for future development of nutritional requirements.

Circadian rhythms↗

Skylab extravehicular activity

The use of extravehicular activity (EVA) techniques during the Skylab program for accomplishing major mission objectives and major and minor repair work outside the Skylab workshop is discussed. There were ten EVA periods during Skylab that lasted 82.5 man-hr. Accomplishments included those planned before the mission; but, more important, the Skylab mission was saved by EVA. The life-giving solar wing was erected during the first manned Skylab mission, and the permanent solar shield was erected during the second manned Skylab mission. In addition, 18 extra mission objectives and 13 in-flight repair tasks were accomplished through EVA during the Skylab missions.

Schultz, D. C.↗

Skylab Medical Data Center and Archives

The founding of the Skylab medical data center and archives as a central area to house medical data from space flights is described. Skylab program strip charts, various daily reports and summaries, experiment reports and logs, status report on Skylab data quality, raw data digital tapes, processed data microfilm, and other Skylab documents are housed in the data center. In addition, this memorandum describes how the data center acted as a central point for the coordination of preflight and postflight baseline data and how it served as coordinator for all data processing through computation and analysis. Also described is a catalog identifying Skylab medical experiments and all related data currently archived in the data center.

Spross, F. R.↗

Experimenters' reference based upon Skylab experiment management

The methods and techniques for experiment development and integration that evolved during the Skylab Program are described to facilitate transferring this experience to experimenters in future manned space programs. Management responsibilities and the sequential process of experiment evolution from initial concept through definition, development, integration, operation and postflight analysis are outlined and amplified, as appropriate. Emphasis is placed on specific lessons learned on Skylab that are worthy of consideration by future programs.

Source record↗

MSFC Skylab experimenter's reference

The methods and techniques for experiment development and integration that evolved during the Skylab Program are described to facilitate transferring this experience to experimenters in future manned space programs. Management responsibilities and the sequential process of experiment evolution from initial concept through definition, development, integration, operation and postflight analysis are outlined in the main text and amplified, as appropriate, in appendixes. Emphasis is placed on specific lessons learned on Skylab that are worthy of consideration by future programs.

Source record↗

Look to the future - NASA/Space.

The remainder of the Apollo program is considered, giving attention to an increased lunar stay time of about 3 days for the J series. The Skylab program is the second program, whose missions are fairly well outlined. There are three flights associated with it which are planned for 1973. The objectives of the flight are to study man, his performance, habitability, and medical responses. Solar and terrestrial studies are also planned. Other projects discussed include the Shuttle, an earth orbiting space station, a space tug, and deep space missions such as the exploration of Mars.

Mcdivitt, J. A.↗

Catalog of Skylab information

Reference materials related to the Skylab Program which were produced through October, 1974 are catalogued. Six categories are listed: publications, films, television tapes, exhibits, photographs, and Skylab reports.

Source record↗

Space flight operations for world development.

Mission objectives, hardware development efforts, and aspects of international cooperation are covered in an outline of space flight programs planned by the United States for the forthcoming decade. Scientific experiments envisioned for the Apollo 17 mission and for the Skylab program are discussed along with the current status of the joint Apollo/Soyuz test project specified by the U.S.-USSR space agreement of May 1972. The Space Shuttle, Space Tug, and Sortie Laboratory projects are outlined with emphasis on the use of experience and hardware gained in earlier phases of this space program.

Myers, D. D.↗

Gravity and space flight: effects on nutritional status

The final decade of the millennium has seen an enormous amount of on-orbit life sciences research, including both short- and long-duration flight research. Life sciences dedicated Space Shuttle flights have made intensive research opportunities available to study on the acute adaptation to weightlessness. The NASA/Mir Science Program combined resources of the USA and Russia to provide the first long-duration flight opportunities for the United States since the Skylab program of the early 1970s. Many of the results of these studies are still being evaluated, and in some cases data are still being collected to assess long-term readaptation to gravity after several months in weightlessness. The surge in life sciences research during this decade serves as a preamble to the opportunities to be provided by the latest addition to the Earth-orbiting structures--the International Space Station.

short duration↗

NASA's life sciences program

NASA space missions from the Mercury through the Shuttle program have provided successively more data on the ability of humans to function in space for progressively longer periods of time. The Skylab program encouraged cooperation between medical and engineering personnel in the design of space suits, diet, food preparation, and cleanliness procedures and equipment, and the man-machine interface. Research is now concentrated on supporting man in space, evaluating the effects of the microgravity environment on humans, and modeling encounters with extraterrestrial life and the effects of human activities on terrestrial biota. Current levels of understanding of the physiological causes of human health problems produced by long-duration spaceflight are summarized. Experiments planned for the Shuttle, Spacelab, and the Space Station are outlined, noting the long-term goal of configuring the Space Station so that only food and hydrazine are needed to complete the life support system cycle.

Soffen, Gerald A.↗

Flame Retardant Fibers for Human Space Exploration - Past, Present, and Future

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has led in the development of unique flame retardant fibers for human spaceflight since the beginning of the Apollo program. After the Apollo 1 fire which killed Command Pilot Virgil I 'Gus' Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward H. White II, and Pilot Roger B. Chaffee from cardiac arrest on January 27, 1967, the accident investigators found severe third degree burns and melted spacesuits on the astronauts bodies. NASA immediately initiated an extensive research program aimed at developing flame retardant and flame resistant fibers for the enriched oxygen atmosphere of the Apollo crew cabin. Fibers are flame retardant when they have been modified by chemical and thermal treatments. Fibers are flame resistant when they are made of inherently flame resistant materials (i.e. glass, ceramic, highly aromatic polymers). Immediately after this tragic accident, NASA funded extensive research in specifically developing flame retardant fibers and fabrics. The early developmental efforts for human spaceflight were for the outer layer of the Apollo spacesuit. It was imperative that non-flammable fabrics be used in a 100% oxygen environment. Owens-Corning thus developed the Beta fiber that was immediately used in the Apollo program and later in the Space Shuttle program. Aside from the urgent need for protective fabrics for the spacesuit, NASA also needed flame retardant fabrics for both clothing and equipment inside the spacecraft. From the mid-1960s to the early 1980's, NASA contracted with many companies to develop inherently flame retardant fibers and flame retardant finishes for existing fibers. Fluorocarbons and aromatic polyamides were the polymers of great interest for the development of new inherently flame retardant fibers for enriched oxygen environments. These enriched environments varied for different space programs. For example, the Apollo program requirements were for materials that would not support combustion in a 70%/30% oxygen/nitrogen environment at 6.3 pounds per square inch (psi). The Skylab program flammability requirements were set at 80%/20% oxygen/nitrogen ratios at 5 psi. While many fibers produced under several NASA contracts were never used, a few have become commercial products. The intent of this paper is to present the developmental history of some of these new or modified textile fibers. These developmental efforts are presented at various levels of details depending on the source of the historical records.

Orndoff, Evelyne↗

Studies of the sun from Skylab

The new and exciting contributions to solar physics, which are resulting from the NASA Skylab Program, are reviewed and their broader implications in terms of solar cycle and solar-terrestrial relations are discussed. Among the 'active' phenomena studied by the Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) solar experiments are coronal bright points, active regions, flares and coronal transient events. One of the most interesting quiet features studied by ATM has been coronal holes. The results of the first Skylab Solar Workshop, which was dedicated to a detailed investigation of these features and of their relationship with the solar wind, are also presented.

Timothy, A. F.↗

The history and development of NASA survival equipment.

A research and development program on survival equipment was begun in early 1960 with the Mercury Program. The Mercury survival kit is discussed together with Gemini survival equipment, and Apollo I survival equipment. A study program is conducted to assess potential survival problems that may be associated with future space flights landing in polar waters. Survival kit requirements for applications on the Skylab program are also considered. Other investigations are concerned with the design of a global survival kit in connection with Space Shuttle missions.

Radnofsky, M. I.↗

Skylab: A chronology

The Skylab Program was specifically designed to conduct a series of experiments from beyond the earth's atmosphere. Since the number and types of experiments conducted during the operational phase of Skylab were constantly changing, rather than encumber the body of the chronology with these changes, a lengthy appendix on experiments is included in this document. This appendix identifies the principle investigators and coinvestigators; gives the types, numbers, and descriptions of the experiments; explains the purpose of the various experiments; and, where possible, gives the results or findings of the experiments. The body of the Skylab chronology is divided into three parts; early space station activities, Apollo applications, and Skylab development and operations.

Newkirk, R. W.↗

The Evolution of Failure Analysis at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the Lessons Learned

The United States has had four manned launch programs and three station programs since the era of human space flight began in 1961. The launch programs, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle, and the station programs, Skylab, Shuttle-Mir, and the International Space Station (ISS), have all been enormously successful, not only in advancing the exploration of space, but also in advancing related technologies. As each subsequent program built upon the successes of previous programs, they similarly learned from their predecessors' failures. While some failures were spectacular and captivated the attention of the world, most only held the attention of the dedicated men and women working to make the missions succeed.

metallography↗

Understanding metabolic alterations in space flight using quantitative models: fluid and energy balance

This report summarizes many of the results obtained during the Skylab program, on metabolic changes during weightlessness. The examination of the data was conducted following an integrated multi-disciplinary and multi-experimental approach. Emphasis is given on several major aspects of metabolic adaptation to space flight: fluid-electrolyte regulation, mechanisms of hormone disturbances, energy balance and etiology of weight loss. The aim is to obtain a composite picture of the fluid, electrolyte and energy response to weightlessness.

Non-NASA Center↗