A fellow eastern Iowa blogger let me know that a special aircraft flew in today to the Eastern Iowa Airport (KCID) in Cedar Rapids. This is a Lockheed S-3 Viking aircraft which is now owned by NASA. Rockwell Collins, a local manufacturer of aerospace avionics is testing equipment on the Viking, as part of a new communications system for unmanned aircraft or drones. Read Gazette article here.
Unmanned Skylab 1 lifted off from Cape Kennedy, Florida 37 years ago on May 14, 1973. Within the first few minutes of launch the last Saturn V rocket configuration shook so much that the third stage laboratory (Skylab) began losing exterior components. Following the craft’s insertion into Earth orbit ground controllers discovered the loss of the micrometeor shield and one of two solar panels.
Without the shield and substantial loss of electrical generating capacity, Skylab began to heat up internally and posed a problem for the crew’s arrival in a few days. High temperatures inside the spacecraft, it was theorized could have produced poisonous toxins, and lead to loss of equipment and supplies.
Scientists, engineers, astronauts and management took ten days to study the problem, come up with a fix, and train the three man crew. The mission launch of astronauts Pete Conrad, Joe Kerwin and Paul Weitz took place on May 25th to repair the ailing station and begin a new chapter in extended earth orbit stay. Once in orbit the crew deployed a parasol to shade the lab’s exterior. The remaining stuck solar panel was dislodged by the crew after snipping a metal band that held the collapsed panel in place. Following the initial repair drama the crew stayed in orbit for 28 days setting endurance records.
Skylab’s launch was an exciting new chapter in the American space program following the close of the Apollo moon missions. After the last three-man crew vacated Skylab in early 1974 the US conducted the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project joint mission with the Soviets in 1975 utilizing the last remaining Saturn IB rocket.
Six years later NASA rolled out the Space Shuttle program to continue earth orbit exploration. The unmanned Skylab vehicle eventually fell out of orbit and was mostly destroyed during re-entry with some pieces surviving on July 11, 1979 - long enough to strike Australia. Years later Russia revealed that it had constructed its own space shuttle, the Buran to among other things capture the vacated Skylab and return it to the Soviet Union for analysis.
As the Space Shuttle program winds down there is much debate politically, economically and scientifically about the direction of American manned space exploration.
One thing is sure; Skylab’s contributions directly enhanced the International Space Station’s mission (along with the Soviet Mir program) and undoubtedly will lead to long range space exploration vehicles and living habitats – be it in earth orbit, the surface of the moon or one day on Mars. Know that.
.jpg)
Low in the 42N western sky at twilight are the planets Venus and Mercury in apparent close proximity to each other. With each successive night the Earth, Venus and Mercury configuration will drift further apart. Also note that NASA's MESSENGER probe is on its way to Mercury now after a series of flybys. In March 2011 it will become the first spacecraft to orbit the planet and begin extensive imaging activities. For now here is your chance to see three planets without leaving your backyard. Hint: you are standing on one of the three planets. Know that.
.jpg)
(top and bottom original photo source: NASA)
The Viking 1 orbiter photographed the so-called Face on Mars on July 25, 1976 while performing photo recon work for future landing sites on the red planet. The release of this image touched off three decades of investigation and conjecture.
The original 1976 press release from NASA stated: "The picture shows eroded mesa-like landforms. The huge rock formation in the center, which resembles a human head, is formed by shadows giving the illusion of eyes, nose and mouth. The feature is 1.5 kilometers (one mile) across, with the sun angle at approximately 20 degrees. The speckled appearance of the image is due to bit errors, emphasized by enlargement of the photo."
In April 2001, the Mars Orbital Camera (part of the Mars Global Surveyor) imaged the Face in much higher resolution. Once again depending on your viewpoint the martian landmark was interpreted as either a geologic feature that happens to resemble a human face or it represents a sculptured work - therefore purposely created.While the Face feature rests near 41N martian latitude (coincidentally near 42N, hmm) there is an interesting comparison to illustrate.
Although I am not the first person to show this comparison my version is to take last week's masonic lion photo (see posting below,) divide the portrait in half, then position it with the high resolution NASA image of the Face from 2001. Interesting, don't you think? What is it telling us? Here is an opposing viewpoint for consideration. Perhaps the first human expedition to the area will settle this debate. Know that.
.jpg)
.jpg)
