rito

The Skylab Programme: A Summary SKYLAB 2 - 25th May 1973 "This is Skylab 2, We fix Anything." Skylab 2 is the first crewed mission to skylab, carrying three astronauts: Charles Conrad (Commander), Paul Weitz (Pilot) and Joseph Kerwin (Science Pilot). After a launch with a potentially mission ending electronic glitch, the crew were successfully placed into orbit and rendevouzed with the station. Upon reaching it, Conrad performed a fly around of the station to assess damage. After this initial assesment, Weitz and Kerwin tried to unlatch the undeployed solar wing by tugging on it but this was largely unsuccessful. After hard docking with the station (with some difficulty) the crew deployed a parasol-like sunshade to keep the station at comfortable temperatures. After two weeks, another EVA was performed by Conrad and Kerwin, this time managing to free the solar array, securing Skylab's future. The next month on the station was spent conducting experiments and reparing more issues on the station, after which the crew departed and splashed down on the 22nd of June 1973. Skylab 2, on approach. SKYLAB 3 - 28th July 1973 Skylab 3 is the penultimate crewed mission to Skylab, carrying another crew of 3: Alan Bean (Commander), Jack Lousma (Pilot) and Owen Garriot (Science Pilot). After a successful launch, the CSM docked to the station with no issue. However, following a scare with 2 manouvering thruster leaks, a Saturn 1B rocket was prepared at the cape in case a rescue was needed. Fortunatley, the mission was recovered and the crew managed to remain on the station. After recovering from their space sickness, the crew managed to perform a large medical research programme and install further thermal protection over the workshop. After 2 months of science, the crew returned home on the 25th September. Overall, the mission was a massive success- the longest duration in-space mission ever flown at it's time. Skylab 3, drifting into the night. SKYLAB 4 - 16th November 1973 "You see how diminuitive your life and concerns are compared to other things in the universe. The result is that you enjoy your life that is before you. It allows you to have inner peace" Skylab 4 is the final mission of the programme, carrying an all rookie crew of Gerald Carr (Commander), William Pogue (Pilot) and Edward Gibson (Science Pilot). After a successful launch and docking, the crew struggled with the workload given to them and they quickly became tired and frustrated with mission control. For the next few weeks, many scientific experiments were performed. On the 13th of December, the crew spotted comet Kohoutek on an EVA and managed to capture it in ultraviolet. Shortly after this, the crew, still discontented by their heavy workload, refused many of their tasks and cut off communications with mission control, demanding a more fair schedule. NASA reluctantly agreed to this, which ended up being a great decision, as Skylab 4 managed to be even more productive than planned. The mission ended on the 8th of February 1974 after 84 days in space. An Apollo CSM departing Skylab for the last time. going to be trying some new formats like this for more missions in the future!

LORE POST just so you have an idea of what the world looks like in this TL- might do some for other regions of Earth. I might also change the format in which I do some missions, not sure yet though.

awesome!!! love how vibrant your shuttle liveries are

Skylab - Part 2 Skylab rotating to 90° to align ATM solar arrays. ATM deployment. Unfurling the solars. View from the tip of one of the ATM's solar arrays.Fully deployed.Rotating to a 45° angle for better thermal conditions. Properly aligned.Skylab drifting into its first night. Due to the disastrous launch, Skylab must stay in its 45° positioning until something can be done by Skylab 2 to solve the station's issues.

Skylab - America's First Space Station, 14th May 1973 The enormous Saturn-V launched station has finally made it to flight after starting development in 1968. If successful, it will pioneer the way for long-term habitation in Earth orbit and maybe beyond- being the penultimate launch of the Saturn V launch vehicle, many have gathered to witness the spectacle of America's SHLLV. T-minus one minute! We have ignition sequence! 6... 5... 4... 3... 2.. 1.. We have a liftoff! Skylab has cleared the tower! Pitch and roll program started! Saturn V speeding away from the Cape Roll Programe Complete! ??? Skylab with its thermal cover ripped off. Nearing S-II sep. S-II Separation! Skylab Sep. ??? Part 2 hopefully out tommorow! Sorry for any innacuracies- (more performance issues, of course...)

Chapter 2 - Coming Soon(ish)!

Love the shuttle lrbs...

Can't wait

Apollo 18 - Part 2 Apollo 18's S-IVB providing its final push to send the crew to the moon. Burning nominally. A successful TLI! Opening of the SLA, revealing the LM lab. The CSM will now flip around and dock with the LM. Capture probe extension. The CSM thrusting forwards to dock with the LM. Coming in close for docking. Capture probe retract. Bye S-IVB! Apollo 18, on it's way to the moon.The trajectory was spot on, and Apollo 18 should be able to reach it's targete Getting closer. Capture burn in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ignition! Apollo 18, moments after orbital insertion. You may notice the lack of a science pallete on the CSM- this was removed to add a radiator for redundancy, as all experiments could be moved into the LM lab. The crew will now spend the next 2 weeks studying the moon from orbit, before performing an EVA to gather some of the more crucial data for the mission. Pete Conrad is elected to perform the EVA for the mission, as he is the most experienced out of the three crew members. Paul Conrad steps out of the CSM. He gathers all the neccasary data before heading back to the CSM to prepare for the Journey home.Apollo 18's last day in Lunar orbit.Final orbit with both vehicles docked together. CSM "Carrack" undocks from LM "Heron" Goodbye Friend! Burning for home. Capsule release. Nearing the atmosphere. Getting toasty. Drogue chute deploy. Apollo 18 before splashdown, captured from a Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King assisting in recovery operations. Back home safely. With that, the Apollo program is over, and so is Chapter 1 of Unwavering Ambitions! I hope you've enjoyed so far, and I'm sorry about the slow rate that i've been putting these out at. There are some exciting things on the way though, so stay tuned!

hopefully soon!

I like the optimism with this one

Apollo 18 - March 30th, 1973 (Part 1/2) Apollo 18 is the last- but also first -of its kind. The ultimate Apollo mission will not be a landing but instead a test of long duration habitation in deep space. The crew of 3 will spend 14 days in lunar orbit, performing a host of scientific experiments in the modified LM. This mission might sound great, but it was intended to pave the way for further use of the LM lab, which may never happen- almost all contracted Saturn launch vehicles have been assigned to AAP (Apollo Applications Program) missions, leaving this as the only planned flight of the craft. The Saturn V sits on pad 39A as crew members Pete Conrad, Paul Weitz and Don Lind board the CSM. Crew access arm retract. 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, We have ignition sequence! 6, 5, 4 ,3, 2, 1.. And liftoff, we have a liftoff of Apollo 18! Saturn V, speeding away from the cape. Apollo 18, flying above the Atlantic Ocean. Inboard cut off, staging And ignition! Skirt SEP, Tower is gone! Five J2 engines pushing Apollo 18 into orbit. S-II Shutdown. S-IVB separation. S-IVB providing the final kick into orbit. As expected, the launch was successful. The crew begin to prepare for TLI, and settle in for the long mission ahead of them. (I'm sorry if this launch wasn't of the highest quality- i've had some real performance issues lately, and have had to switch from KSRSS back to stock. I'm also sorry for the delay this caused, but much more should be coming soon!)

Beautiful shots guys!

Would people mind if I move from KSRSS to the stock system for performance reasons?

Excited to see where this goes!