Skylab systems flight performance - An interim report

Abstract

An unmanned Skylab space station was launched on May 14, 1973. The space station was inserted into a near-circular earth orbit of approximately 435 kilometers altitude. Initial difficulties with Skylab are reported together with the steps taken to overcome these difficulties. The first crew made its rendezvous with Skylab on May 25. A Skylab description is given and a systems overview is presented. Skylab attitude requirements are discussed together with details of attitude control, the communications network, scientific investigations, student experiments, earth resources studies, weather studies, solar observations, biomedical investigations, technology investigations, crew mobility and effectiveness investigations, habitability assessments, and a comet observation.