LAUNCH MISSION
NASA Saturn IB Skylab 3
Launch Pad
Launch Complex 39B
Description
Skylab 3 (also known as SL-3 or SLM-2) was the second crewed mission to the first US orbital space station Skylab. The mission began on July 28, 1973, 11:10:50 UTC with the launch of a three-person crew. Crew members were the Commander Alan L. Bean, Science Pilot Owen K. Garriott and Pilot Jack R. Lousma. During their 59-day stay on the station, crew continued station repairs and conducted various scientific and medical experiments. The mission ended successfully with the splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on September 25, 1973, 22:19:51 UTC.
Saturn IB
Rocket Description
The Saturn IB (pronounced "one B", also known as the Uprated Saturn I) was an American launch vehicle commissioned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the Apollo program. It replaced the S-IV second stage of the Saturn I with the much more powerful S-IVB, able to launch a partially fueled Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) or a fully fueled Lunar Module (LM) into low Earth orbit for early flight tests before the larger Saturn V needed for lunar flight was ready.