1973-032A
Apollo CSM 116 (the Skylab SL-2 spaceship) was launched at 1300 on 1973 May 25 by Saturn IB from Kennedy Space Center. A `milkstool' pedestal had been placed on the LC39B platform to accomodate the shorter IB instead of the huge Saturn V.
The launch vehicle then went back to the VAB and rolled out again with the flight CSM 116. Adapter SLA-6, with hinges, was used after a decision to deorbit the S-4B stage; originally a separating adapter had been planned.
The flight was officially designated SL-2 (SL-1 was the space station itself) but in press releases the first piloted mission was often referred to as `Skylab 1' since it was thought that this would cause less confusion (!).
Skylab SL-2 Crew
- Commander Capt. Charles Conrad, Jr., USN
- Science Pilot Cdr. Dr. Joseph Kerwin, USN, M.D.
- Pilot Capt. Paul J. Weitz, USN
The Saturn IB delivered SL-2 to a 155 x 352 km x 50.0 deg orbit at 1310. from Apollo at 1316. The rendezvous burns began at 1523. The TPF braking burn at 2037:28 left CSM 116 in a 433 x 442 km orbit approaching Skylab. Soft dock with the axial port of the MDA ]came at 2156 on May 25. The CSM undocked again at 2245 and flew around the station to the SAS 1 array. At 2346 the CSM was depressurized and the hatch was opened for an EVA. Weitz stood in the open hatch and tried to free the SAS wing while Conrad stationkept with the lab. The wing remained stubbornly stuck, and Weitz returned to the cabin. The hatch was closed at 0023 and the cabin was repressurized at 0101 after an 01h 15m EVA. The crew now made 7 failed attempts to redock with the MDA, without managing to get the docking latches to lock. At around 0200 on May 26, the cabin was depressurized to rewire the docking probe. (Since the main hatch was not opened, most records do not count this as an EVA, although with the docking probe removed the cabin was open to space.) The CM was repressurized at around 0320. Finally at 0352 the spaceship successfully redocked with the axial MDA port and the crew could get a night's sleep. At 1630 on May 26 the hatch to the MDA was opened and the crew transferred to Skylab.
The CM was powered up at 0130 on 1973 Jun 22. The crew came aboard and undocked from Skylab at 0858 on Jun 22. After flying around the station to inspect it, they made an RCS separation burn at 0940, followed by an SPS burn at 1005 to lower the perigee to 167 km. The SPS deorbit burn was made at 1310. CM-116 splashed down in the Pacific at 1349:48 at 24 46N 127 4W. The spaceship was recovered by the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga.
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| Skylab 2 |
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| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|
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| 1973 May 25 | 1300 | Launch |
| 1973 May 25 | 1302:22 | S-IB separation 59km | -6133 x 108 x 44.1 |
| | 1302:23 | J2 MES |
| | | Two M-415 covers sep? |
| 1973 May 25 | 1302:23? | Interstage separation |
| | 1302:35 | Ullage case jettison 70 km (97 kg tot) | -6126 x 112 x 45.3 |
| | | Two M-415 covers sep? |
| 1973 May 25 | 1302:45? | (MSFC-MAN) LES separation 79 km | -6107 x 116 x 45.5 |
| 1973 May 25 | 1303:30 | LES separation | |
| | 1308:55 | S-IB impact at 31.55N 76.76W |
| 1973 May 25 | 1309:49 | S-IVB MECO |
| 1973 May 25 | 1310 | Orbit insertion | 155 x 352 km x 50.04 deg |
| | | | 150 x 352 x 50.03 (MPR) |
| 1973 May 25 | 1316 | S-IVB separation |
| 1973 May 25 | 1523:30 | NC1 13994 kg 9s, 359 x 372 km |
| 1973 May 25 | 1741:19 | NC2 16s, 9m/s | 370 x 406 km |
| | | 13648 kg |
| 1973 May 25 | 1827:26 | NCC (CCM) 11m/s | 403 x 417 km |
| 1973 May 25 | 1904:26 | NSR Coelliptic | 415 x 425 km |
| 1973 May 25 | 2003:50 | TPI (Terminal phase initiation) 5m/s | 422 x 435 km |
| | 2031 | Tallyho |
| 1973 May 25 | 2037:28 | TPF (Braking), 433 x 442 km |
| 1973 May 25 | 2040 | Rendezvous with Skylab |
| 1973 May 25 | 2125? | Docked with MDA |
| 2345 | Cabin down to 7.5psi |
| 1973 May 25 | 2345 | Undocked from MDA |
| | 2350 | Stationkeep near SAS |
| 1973 May 25 | 2352 | Depress for SEVA, attempted SAS repair till 0101 |
| | 2357? | HO |
| 1973 May 26 | 0000 | PLT SEVA from hatch |
| | 0012 | Egress? |
| | 0020 | Working on strap with pick tool |
| | 0022? | HC |
| | 0023? | Repress |
| | 0030? | Docking with MDA, failed |
| | 0035? | Docking with MDA, failed |
| | 0036 | At 4 psi |
| | 0100 | Docking with MDA, failed |
| | 0102:29 | Docking with MDA, failed |
| | 0124:56 | Docking with MDA, failed |
| | 0144 | Stationkeeping |
| 1973 May 26 | 0220? | Docking with MDA, failed |
| 1973 May 26 | 0252 | Depress for probe repairs |
| | 0259? | Probe dismantled |
| | 0307 | Repress 1 psi |
| | 0310 | Repress 3 psi |
| 1973 May 26 | 0352 | Docking with MDA, mass 13113 kg |
| 1973 May 26 | 1630 | Hatch open to MDA, crew enter SL-1 |
| 1973 May 29 | 0107 | Orbit trim 0.6 km/s |
| 1973 Jun 17 | 1330 | Orbit trim 0.9 km/s |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 0130 | CSM power up |
| 1973 Jun 22 | | Crew entry |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 0855 | Undocking from MDA |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 0858 | Undocking from MDA |
| 1973 Jun 22 | | Flyaround of Skylab | 425 x 440 x 50.0 |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 0940:00 | Sep (RCS) 1.5m/s | 419 x 440 x 50.0 |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 1005:29 | Lower perigee (SPS), 10.9s, | 167 x 426 x 50.0 km |
| | 1005:40 | Cutoff, (-78.0,0.0,19.9) |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 1310:45 | SPS deorbit (-56.2, 0.0, 13.9) |
| | 1311:54 | Deorbit cutoff | -16 x 422 x 50.0 |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 1315:50 | SM-116 separation |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 1332:47 | Entry interface |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 1349:48 | Splashdown in Pacific. |
| 1973 Jun 22 | 1430 | Recovered by USS Ticonderoga |
