WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

Skylab, a 100-ton manned orbital scientific space station, is scheduled to be launched and placed in near-Earth orbit early in 1973. The program's nine prime crewmen, selected for the three manned Skylab missions, are pictured with an artist's concept of a completely deployed cluster of the Skylab components in Earth orbit. The first Skylab mission will launch and place in orbit the hardware shown here with the exception of the Apollo-type spacecraft docked at left end. The Command and Service Modules (CSM) will on three occasions in a projected eight-month period go up and dock with the Skylab cluster, thus transporting a fresh crew of three astronauts to conduct several weeks of experimenting and observations. Those manned missions will be known as Skylabs II, III and IV. They have as their crewmen the following astronauts: Skylab II -- Charles Conrad Jr., commander; Joseph P. Kerwin, science pilot; and Paul J. Weitz, pilot. Skylab III -- Alan L. Bean, commander; Owen K. Garriot, science pilot; and Jack R. Lousma, pilot. Skylab IV -- Gerald P. Carr, commander; Edward G. Gibson, science pilot; and William R. Pogue, pilot.