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Skylab Is Still Rotting in Huntsville

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
April 19, 2012
Filed under

The Skylab Trainer Is Still Rotting in Huntsville
“The Skylab trainer built to train astronauts has been sitting outside at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) in Huntsville for a long time. Right now, as can be seen in the photo below, it is simply rotting away when simple measures to protect it could at least slow down the destruction.”

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

11 responses to “Skylab Is Still Rotting in Huntsville”

  1. Sprocketeers says:
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    Interesting timing on this article – During the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission Executive Committee meeting yesterday (April 18) the CEO of the Sprocket (Dr. Deborah Barnhart) mentioned Skylab’s 40th anniversary is forthcoming and that they were going to focus on getting the Skylab mockup back into display condition. 

    I was at the center the day the Skylab mockup was taken out an employee working on the project said that he didn’t didn’t it would ever make it back inside. So far he is right and as the tarps that were temporarily placed over the structure’s openings have long gone – the only sign of any changes have been five rows of trees planted that over time will block the view of rusting structure from the visitors at the multi-million dollar Davidson Center of Space Exploration.

    Wes – Sprocketeers.org

  2. chriswilson68 says:
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    Doesn’t NASA have lots of empty buildings now that shuttle has wound down, especially in Florida?  I’m sure they could find places indoors for the Skylab mock-up, all those rockets at the KSC visitor center that just sit out in the weather, and any other historic hardware that is currently decaying outdoors.

  3. Doug Booker says:
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    Uh, they copied over the tapes with the hi fidelity images of the Apollo 11 landing.  What else do you expect from NASA. 

    Was this ever offered to the Smithsonian? 

    A solution to this mess would be for Congress should direct NASA that anything like this should HAVE to be given to the Smithsonian and then they should determine what to do with the artifacts.  Any records or recordings of significance should be given to the National Archives.  These 2 institutions are the nations main history institutions.  Otherwise you get NASA hiring historians which really isn’t their charter. 

    • drfaustus71 says:
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       Actually, Smithsonian has one. It’s called Skylab 2 and was backup flight hardware for space station and was also slated to be flown at a later date, but was subsequently cancelled. NASM has a lot of space, but not that much. Additionally, I have it on excellent grounds that what Sprocketeers says below is in the works. It only takes time, money and staff. Of which the USSRC has only time in abundance. However they are seeking funding both federally and privately. The effort is genuine, and will likely be better organized than the previous restoration attempt. This all pends on funding though.

    • Steve Whitfield says:
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      Doug,

      For what it’s worth, I’ve interacted with the NASA History Office many times over the years and I’ve always found them to be helpful and willing to do what they can for you, even on a limited budget, unlike NASA PAO who, in my opinion, have a less than impressive track record.

      Steve

      • dbooker says:
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        Steve,
        I don’t think NASA should even have a history dept. Its not their area of expertise nor should it be. With a MOU the Smithsonian/National Archives would be much more qualified. Even if the Smithsonian doesn’t need a second Skylab they could loan it out to another museum.
        NASAs expertise is aeronautics and space science and engineering and they should stick to that.

  4. Ben Russell-Gough says:
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    I have to say that I’m genuinely surprised that this didn’t end up in a museum somewhere.  It isn’t as if there is an over-abundance of Apollo artefacts out there so people can be careless about what happens to them!

    Seriously, though, given that it is exposed to the elements, how much would there be left to save after four decades?

  5. Anonymous says:
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    This particular Skylab was a fully functioning engineering mockup.  I took a tour at MSFC in 1974 when it was operational during the Skylab III mission.

    Sad to see it in this state.

  6. bobhudson54 says:
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    Since the Alabama Space and Rocket Center has a Saturn V exhibit hall built,you’d think the Skylab mock-up would be an addition to the hall since the Saturn played an important part in its mission. This shows just how knowledgeable the staff at ASRC are or lack of. A friend of mine recently visited the museum and reported how much its in disarray. Apparently, the staff just don’t care.

  7. DTARS says:
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    As a kid I walked through a sky lab display once. I don’t recall were it was??? Florida, Alabama, or Texas??? Did Florida have one on display after 1969? I toured the cape at 10 in 1965 and loved it. Took my kids in the 90s and was less impressed. Where has Skylab been displayed???

  8. Joseph Parenti says:
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    All right… so instead of giving them $10 through the website to contribute to a fund that may or many not be actually gathering decent funds, can I just show up at the front door with a broom and a paintbrush and volunteer my time?
    This is ridiculous.  In 2006, volunteers who were making real progress were chased off by USSRC with the promise that “they were working on it”.  Six years later, I’m not seeing any progress — or even any attempt to keep this artifact from getting worse.
    I’m sure there’s people who would assemble behind this cause.  Where can I find them?