Talk:Skylab

Reason for asymmetry

Should the article state more prominently why the solar panels are asymmetrical (the OWS was torn off during launch)? Cheers, cmɢʟee⎆τaʟκ 13:29, 27 October 2023 (UTC)

Discrepancy between deorbit dates

At the top of the article, it says deorbit happened on July 11, 1976, but further on, it says this happened January 15, 1975. Which is correct? (use ctrl+f to find the areas where it says deorbit) 2601:280:5383:5BA0:D0C0:F54D:56BF:3DC1 (talk) 22:21, 24 April 2025 (UTC)

"The S-II stage [...] made a controlled reentry on January 11, 1975", not Skylab itself. Read more of the text around the relevant text to better understand the context. Regards, -Fnlayson (talk) 22:53, 24 April 2025 (UTC)

Soviet Union In Orbit video of Skylab

There is a video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNd51OSYGUg

It depicts the final orbits and re-entry of Skylab. Shot by Soviet satellite. Grainy black and white. Uploaded 14 years ago, thus not AI slop ;o)

Described in video as:

"Fifth pass" - Skylab is recognisable from below, with a view almost end on to the Apollo telescope mount and docking port. Solar panels on and the Apollo telescope mount clearly visible. "Sixth pass" - Skylab is again recognisable and now below the Soviet satellite, the view is clear, showing solar panels, meteorite shield and barely visible, the solar umbrella repair. "Seventh pass" (mislabled as eighth pass in video) Skylab is ostensibly re-entering. A re-entry trail can be seen, Skylab is not recognisable.

I had no idea that such video existed. Given its rarity and non-US source, it makes sense to add it to the article, but it surpasses my editing capabilities. Gjsims (talk) 19:45, 25 January 2026 (UTC)

Skylab in fiction

Skylab was also used in a second season episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, "The Rescue of Athena One". With a wounded astronaut on the Athena One mission, NASA instructed them to dock with Skylab, unoccupied at the time, but were unable to open the ship hatch to enter the station. A rescue mission was launched, used the second docking port, and the doctor launched on the rescue mission conducted an emergency surgery aboard Skylab as it would be unsafe to return the injured astronaut without the surgery. The episode thus depicts unplanned stay-over on the station by four people, and unplanned medical operation. GBC (talk) 19:59, 24 June 2026 (UTC)