Skylab Extravehicular Activity

Abstract

The use of extravehicular activity (EVA) techniques during Skylab for accomplishing major mission objectives and major and minor repair work outside the Skylab workshop is discussed. The basic feasibility of EVA was demonstrated during the Gemini Program. Extravehicular activity was again demonstrated on Apollo, and was used during the Apollo 15 to 17 missions to retrieve film from the cameras used to map the lunar surface. The techniques developed for these earlier extravehicular activities were used to the fullest possible extent during Skylab. Premission plans for Skylab EVA included six EVA periods for a total of 29 man-hours. The objective of the EVA was to retrieve the Apollo telescope mount film and several particle sample collectors. There were actually 10 EVA periods during Skylab that lasted 82.5 man-hours. 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 Skylab 2, and the permanent solar shield was erected during Skylab 3. In addition, 18 extra mission objectives and 13 in-flight repair tasks were accomplished through EVA during the Skylab missions.