Continue the description of the structure of the Skylab space laboratory and the astronauts' daily routine as planned before the launches
medicine
Medical devices were placed in the laboratory for supervision and first aid purposes.
- 1. Electrodes are attached to the astronauts' bodies that transmit information about their health to the space doctors. While sleeping, one of the astronauts wears a nightgown equipped with sensing devices that allow brain waves to be monitored.
- 2. Containers for urine and feces samples that are returned to Israel. The stool is returned when it is dried.
- Devices for testing the effort required to perform various jobs.
- Blood pressure regulator. This device reduces the pressure in the lower part of the body and automatically increases the flow to the heart and brain.
- Ergometer - a bicycle in which exercises are done to test changes in metabolism - the body's metabolism. In Skylab 2 each astronaut was checked 5 times during the flight and in Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 flights each astronaut was checked 8 times.
- Rotating chair - measure reactions of the human body, weightlessness and orientation. Among other things, the inner ear, dry mouth, paleness of the face, sweating, stomach and heart reactions are tested. As soon as the subject shows alarming signs, the experiment is stopped.
- Cardiovascular system - a cylindrical iron lung-like chamber for measuring the blood vessels of the heart. The astronaut puts his lower body into the chamber. The atmospheric pressure in the chamber is reduced to a lower than normal level by pumping air out of it. The lower part of the body and the legs suck the blood from the upper part of the body. Negative pressure is created on the legs. The hope that the space doctors placed in this device was to prevent negative effects on the heart in space conditions. In a normal situation, the force of gravity helps the blood flow to the legs. This does not exist in weightlessness. The experiment was conducted regularly every day. Every day another astronaut would enter the device for an hour. As soon as the astronaut shows alarming signs, the experiment is stopped. The space doctors proposed that the astronauts' upper body would be inside a container under reduced pressure during extended flights. The realization of this offer depends on the success of the experiment.
- Weighing device - the astronauts are weighed every day. Since weighing is impossible under weightless conditions, a special vibrator was developed for this purpose. The astronaut sits on the device. A scale is connected to the vibrator that calculates the astronaut's mass by measuring the acceleration he is in as a result of applying a known force.
- Other residents of the laboratory are six mice, 700 insects and plants. The experiments performed in them are to test the results resulting from a life without a rhythm (biological clock). The thing that exists on Earth and testing their adaptation to life in space. Babies born in high places like the mountains in Peru develop changes in their lungs, heart and blood composition. These changes are a function of gravity variation. It is likely that the human body will undergo substantial changes due to a prolonged stay in space. The objects used to test these changes are embryos of animals, insects and plants.
The experiments are related to the physiological and psychological behavior of the person in response to the space environment and information about his ability and fitness, biomedical studies enable learning about the effect of a prolonged stay in space on the human body and testing possible measures to prevent the instability of the muscular and skeletal systems in an environment of weightlessness. All experiments are performed simultaneously on Earth and their results are compared to those performed in the laboratory.
First aid
The astronauts are equipped with medical aids for routine treatments and emergencies. The equipment includes medicines, bandages, a microscope for making diagnoses in cases of diseases. All this with the aim of giving the best treatment. In case of minor fractures, the fracture area is dressed with support boards and the flight continues as usual. Dr. Kervin the doctor who was on the Skylab 2 team gave a detailed briefing to the commanders of Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 in preparation for their flights. Kerwin is the only one equipped with surgical instruments for tubal resection.
מזון
The astronauts eat while attached to the dining table, this in order to prevent them from floating in the laboratory while eating. The food was designed based on a deliberate metabolic experiment and the choice of food was carefully examined to monitor the amount of minerals in the body daily. The main food of the astronauts includes 2000 - 2800 calories. During the flight, the astronaut receives 18 different types of food on the recurring menu that changes every six days. Each astronaut chooses his favorite menu for himself and this is done for two reasons:
A. to satisfy the astronauts' wishes.
B. A long flight requires a higher quality of food.
They thought of equipping the astronauts with wine, but the idea was shelved due to the resulting problems. In the way they are packaged, in personal preferences and in conducting medical tests because of the alcoholic beverage.
daily work order
The astronauts work 10 hours a day. Every day they eat together, work at the same time and also rest at the same time. This order does not exist on their weekly day of rest. This day is a free day. In their free time, the astronauts can play cards, read and listen to their favorite music on stereo devices. There is a teleprinter in the lab. It works when the astronauts sleep. Broadcasting updates to them for the new day. If any experiment is not carried out due to clouds or weather, the experiment is rescheduled and its results are broadcast by teleprinter. Another possibility is to precede other experiments and thus prevent "holes" in the work. Skylab's schedule was designed according to Greenwich Mean Time but the work was carried out according to Houston (Control Center) time.
dressed
Most of the time the astronauts are dressed in golden cottons made of fireproof fibers. They are equipped with three types of space suits. One is manually driven and has 14 motors and weighs 107 kg. The operation is done with the help of handles on two wide arms located on both sides of the body. Another suit is also manually activated. The suit has one engine in the front and two in the back. They must be directed to the desired flight point. The third suit is foot operated and leaves your hands free to work.
תקשורת
The same communication systems that served the Apollo flights also served the Skylab program. The astronauts had at their disposal a confidential channel designated for emergencies for daily conversations with the doctors and a weekly conversation with their families. The radio and television connection with the country was made through the Apollo spaceship.
The landing of the Apollo spacecraft
The number of ships waiting for the landing spacecraft was reduced to one - an aircraft carrier. Marine space observation instruments have been placed in the ocean to locate the spacecraft in case it misses the landing site. Unlike previous flights, the astronauts are brought aboard the aircraft carrier together with the spacecraft. In case they feel weak (due to the transition from zero gravity to Earth's gravity) the astronauts wear inflatable pressure suits that increase the pressure in the body by pumping blood from the legs to the upper part of the body. The astronauts are lifted onto the aircraft carrier while in the spaceship to allow maximum adaptation to gravity and to minimize changes in the samples returned for testing.
Medical tests after landing
Unlike the previous flights, the Skylab astronauts, upon their return from space, spend a long period of time in the aircraft for a long series of medical examinations. Regarding the airplanes, mobile medical laboratories were installed.
Collaboration
106 group leaders were chosen to carry out 132 studies to carry out the research in everything related to the Earth's natural treasures. 83 from the USA and the rest from Iran, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, France, Greece, Venezuela, Argentina, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Chile, Thailand, India, Mali and Israel. A total of 600 researchers from 21 countries participated in the experiments.
The launch plan
1. The launch of the laboratory on April 30, 1973 to an orbit with an altitude of 430 km, an inclination angle of 50 degrees and a orbit duration of 93 minutes. The lifespan of the laboratory is three years. The designation of the Skylab 1 launch.
2. The launch of the first crew on May 1973, 28 for a 2-day stay in the space laboratory. The team included Charles Conrad, Dr. Joseph Kervin (physician) and Paul Weitz (graduated in aeronautical engineering). The designation of the Skylab 26 mission. During your stay in the space laboratory, scientific, biomedical, technological experiments, exploration of the earth's treasures, observations of the sun and crew operations were conducted. On the 28th day of the flight, two of the crew members go outside the laboratory and change the photographic films. Near the end of the XNUMXth day, they prepare the laboratory for the two-month silence period and return to Israel.
3. The launch of the second crew on July 30, 1973 for a 58-day stay in the space laboratory. The team included Alan Bean, Dr. Evan Garriott (electrical engineer) and Jack Losma (aeronautical engineer). Marking the Skylab 2 flight. Emphasis on medical, astronomical experiments, the study of the sun and the study of the Earth's treasures.
4. The launch of the third crew on October 28, 1973 for an 86-day stay in the space laboratory. The team included Jayla Carr, Dr. Edward Gibson (engineering and physics) and William Fogg (mathematician). Flight designation Skylab 4. The emphasis is on exploring the earth's treasures. Observations. and medical experiments.
Changes in the work plan
The preparations for the launches took longer than expected and as a result the launch date of the laboratory was postponed to May 15 and accordingly the launch date of the teams was postponed. The researchers and engineers increased the pace of their work so that the program would be completed on time, but they were only partially successful. The new launch dates set are:
1. Launching the lab on May 14
2. Skilab 2 between May 15 and June 12
3. Skilab 3 between August 8 and October 3
4. Skilab 4 between November 9 and January 4, 1973
The composition of the teams
Each team has 3 scientists and two astronauts, one of whom is the commander. The commander was chosen from among the Apollo pilots who reached the moon who conducted a series of training in all the areas covered in that flight. This time, for the first time, there was specialization in certain areas of flight. Each astronaut receives general training in the laboratory systems and the operation of its devices and specializes in a specific subject. The commander is responsible for the entire mission, the launcher and the flight planning. The astronaut scientist is in charge of the telescope and the medical experiments. The third astronaut is responsible for the terrestrial research instruments and the laboratory.
Launching the lab
The space laboratory was launched on time and with complete success. 63 seconds after the launch it became clear that the external shield was partially working and two hours later another and more serious malfunction occurred. Some of the solar racks were not deployed, thus cutting the laboratory's electricity consumption in half. They tried to activate the disabled systems using radio signals, but were unsuccessful. This malfunction necessitated the reduction of the laboratory's work plan and in particular the experiments related to the search for minerals. This is because the laboratory must maneuver in these cases so that it will not be exposed to the sun and the cameras will be aimed directly at the Earth. These malfunctions led to the postponement of the launch of the first crew to May 20, and necessitated a new planning of the experiments, the cancellation of some of them and the training of the astronauts just in case, and the correction of the deficiencies is entrusted to them. Below is the chronological order of events in the laboratory:
On May 15 - the temperature in the laboratory rises from 20 degrees to 38 degrees, probably because of the external shield.
May 16 - the temperature in the laboratory rises to 43 degrees and in some parts to 93 degrees. One of the navigation computers is out of order, the lab is now pointing towards the sun.
May 17 - The laboratory scientists managed to overcome the malfunctions. It was decided to cover the exposed part of the laboratory, the part on which the outer shield was not shielded, with a new shield. The team's launch date was postponed to the 25th to allow it to improve the techniques needed to carry out the repairs.
May 19 - To reduce the heat in the laboratory, we manipulated it so that the sun's rays penetrated it at a smaller angle and lowered the temperature. This solution was not perfect since it compromised the laboratory's ability to produce the full amount of electricity from the solar arrays that were deployed. The heat prevailing in the laboratory led to the leakage of toxic gases such as CO and TDA (a gas that causes breathing difficulties and is used in the production process of the laboratory's insulation material). The leak was repaired by injecting a clean mixture of oxygen and nitrogen into the laboratory. The astronauts were equipped with masks and gas sensors before entering the laboratory.
May 21 - The measuring devices did not report any defect in the operation of the cooling system and no spoilage was detected in the frozen food. After activating the backup system, an instruction was sent to activate the main system. When the radio contact with the laboratory was restored it became clear that the backup system was working again. It was decided to leave the situation as it is until the laboratory is staffed. Changing the angle of penetration of the sun's rays to 50 degrees resulted in lowering the temperature from 40.5 degrees to 37.7 degrees without affecting the electricity output. The laboratory tilt was such that the sun shelves of the telescope were maximally exposed to the sun. The laboratory was almost completely removed from the influence of the sun. These maneuvers came at the expense of the laboratory's fuel stock.
