{"id":580640,"date":"2023-12-18T08:23:33","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T13:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=580640"},"modified":"2023-12-19T16:55:31","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T21:55:31","slug":"50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-push-past-the-one-month-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-push-past-the-one-month-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"50 Years Ago: Skylab 4 Astronauts Push Past the One-Month Mark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In December 1973, Skylab 4 astronauts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/carr_gerald.pdf?emrc=a5476f\">Gerald P. Carr<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/gibson_edward.pdf?emrc=ffe4d1\">Edward G. Gibson<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/pogue_william.pdf?emrc=ffae3d\">William R. Pogue<\/a> passed the one-month mark of the third and final mission aboard the Skylab space station. Launching on Nov. 16, they began a planned 56-day flight that mission managers fully expected to extend to 84 days. They continued the science program begun by the previous two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/skylab-2-mission-accomplished\">Skylab<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/skylab-3-a-record-59-days-in-space\">crews<\/a>, including biomedical studies on the effects of long-duration space flight on the human body, Earth observations using the Earth Resources Experiment Package (EREP), and solar observations with instruments mounted on the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM). To study newly discovered Comet Kohoutek, scientists added cometary observations to the crew\u2019s already busy schedule, including adding a far ultraviolet camera to Skylab\u2019s instrument suite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580642\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a massive solar flare taken by one of the Apollo Telescope Mount instruments\" width=\"244\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg 7883w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=300,236 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=768,604 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=1024,806 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=1536,1209 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=2048,1612 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=400,315 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=600,472 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=900,708 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=1200,944 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-1-solar-flare-dec-19-1973-s74-23458.jpg?resize=2000,1574 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580643\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg\" alt=\"Earth Resources Experiment Package infrared photograph of Florida\u2019s central Atlantic coast including NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center\" width=\"192\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg 4124w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=1024,1024 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=1536,1536 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=2048,2048 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=200,200 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=600,600 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=900,900 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=1200,1200 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-2-erep-ir-photo-of-ksc-area-sl4-93-167.jpg?resize=2000,2000 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580644\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg\" alt=\"Gerald P. Carr monitors Edward G. Gibson during a lower body negative pressure test of his cardiovascular system\" width=\"260\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg 974w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg?resize=300,222 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg?resize=768,568 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg?resize=400,296 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg?resize=600,444 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-3-lbnp.jpg?resize=900,665 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 260px) 100vw, 260px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Left: Image of a massive solar flare taken by one of the Apollo Telescope Mount instruments. Middle: Earth Resources Experiment Package infrared photograph of Florida\u2019s central Atlantic coast including NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center. Right: Gerald P. Carr monitors Edward G. Gibson during a lower body negative pressure test of his cardiovascular system.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Dec. 13, the mission\u2019s 28<sup>th<\/sup> day, program officials assessed the astronauts\u2019 performance and the status of the station and fully expected that they could complete the nominal 56-day mission and most likely the full 84 days. Despite being overworked and often behind the timeline, Carr, Gibson, and Pogue had already accomplished 84 hours of ATM solar observations, 12 EREP passes, 80 photographic and visual Earth observations, all of the scheduled medical experiments, as well as numerous other activities such as student experiments, and science demonstrations. The astronaut\u2019s major concern centered around the timelining process that had not given them time to adjust to their new environment and did not consider their on-orbit daily routine. Despite the crew sending taped verbal messages to the ground asking for help in fixing these issues, the problem persisted. Skylab 4 Lead Flight Director <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/HutchinsonNB\/hutchinsonnb.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Neil B. Hutchinson<\/a> later admitted that the ground team learned many lessons about timelining long duration missions during the first few weeks of Skylab 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580645\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg\" alt=\"Soyuz 13 cosmonauts Pyotr I. Klimuk, left, and Valentin V. Lebedev during their mission\" width=\"227\" height=\"235\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg 798w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg?resize=288,300 288w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg?resize=768,799 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg?resize=385,400 385w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-4-soyuz-13-crew-in-space-tbc.jpg?resize=577,600 577w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 227px) 100vw, 227px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580646\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg\" alt=\"Model of Soyuz 13, showing the replacement of the forward docking system with the Orion-2 telescope inside its housing\" width=\"236\" height=\"235\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg 301w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-5-soyuz-13-spacecraft-model.jpg?resize=200,200 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 236px) 100vw, 236px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580648\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg\" alt=\"Preflight view of the Orion-2 instrument package\" width=\"233\" height=\"235\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg?resize=297,300 297w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-6-soyuz-13-telescope.jpg?resize=100,100 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 233px) 100vw, 233px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Left: Soyuz 13 cosmonauts Pyotr I. Klimuk, left, and Valentin V. Lebedev during their mission. Middle:  Model of Soyuz 13, showing the replacement of the forward docking system with the Orion-2 telescope inside its housing. Right: Preflight view of the Orion-2 instrument package. <strong>Image credits: courtesy of Roscosmos.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Dec. 18, Carr, Gibson, and Pogue received visitors in low Earth orbit. On their 33<sup>rd<\/sup> day aboard the Skylab space station, the Soviet Union launched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/forty-five-years-ago-americans-soviets-orbit-earth-at-same-time\/\">Soyuz 13<\/a>, with Pyotr I. Klimuk and Valentin V. Lebedev aboard. Although the event marked the first time in history that American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts orbited the Earth at the same time, the two crews neither met nor communicated with each other, traveling in very different orbits with different missions. The Soyuz 13 cosmonauts operated a scientific package called Orion-2, comprised of three ultraviolet spectrographs for stellar observations and an X-ray telescope to image the Sun. Soviet engineers modified the orbital compartment of the Soyuz, removing its docking apparatus to accommodate the Orion-2 instruments. On Dec. 26, the cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan in the middle of a snowstorm. The success of Soyuz 13 gave the Soviets and their American counterparts confidence that the spacecraft, modified after the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-remembering-the-crew-of-soyuz-11\/\">Soyuz 11 accident<\/a>, would be safe for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), a joint mission agreed to in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-the-united-states-and-the-soviet-union-sign-a-space-cooperation-agreement\/\">May 1972<\/a> and planned for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/45-years-ago-soyuz-and-apollo-launch\/\">July 1975<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-7-carr-amu-sl04-145-4810.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580656\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-7-carr-amu-sl04-145-4810.jpg\" alt=\"Gerald P. Carr flying the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit\" width=\"192\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-7-carr-amu-sl04-145-4810.jpg 338w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-7-carr-amu-sl04-145-4810.jpg?resize=257,300 257w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-8-comet-kohoutek-false-color-far-uv-dec-25-1973.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580657\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-8-comet-kohoutek-false-color-far-uv-dec-25-1973.jpg\" alt=\"A far ultraviolet image of Comet Kohoutek\" width=\"171\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-8-comet-kohoutek-false-color-far-uv-dec-25-1973.jpg 283w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-8-comet-kohoutek-false-color-far-uv-dec-25-1973.jpg?resize=229,300 229w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 171px) 100vw, 171px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580659\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg\" alt=\"William R. Pogue at the controls of the Apollo Telescope Mount\" width=\"336\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg 2928w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=300,199 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=1024,681 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=1536,1021 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=2048,1362 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=400,266 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=600,399 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=900,598 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=1200,798 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-9-pogue-at-atm-controls-sl4-150-5083.jpg?resize=2000,1330 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Left: Gerald P. Carr flying the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit. Middle: A far ultraviolet image of Comet Kohoutek. Right: William R. Pogue at the controls of the Apollo Telescope Mount.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carr, Gibson, and Pogue increased their focus on observing Comet Kohoutek as it neared perihelion, or its closest approach to the Sun, on Dec. 28. At that point, Skylab\u2019s solar telescopes could observe the comet better than any ground-based instruments. In addition to dedicated observations during two spacewalks, the astronauts continued to monitor the comet well into January as it headed rapidly away from the Sun, to return in maybe 75,000 years. The astronauts continued their medical studies and Earth observations as well as tests inside the large dome of the workshop of the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit, a precursor of the Manned Maneuvering Unit used during the space shuttle program to retrieve satellites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580660\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png\" alt=\"Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald P. Carr, left, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue build and decorate their makeshift Christmas tree\" width=\"252\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png 1552w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=300,217 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=768,556 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=1024,741 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=1536,1111 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=400,289 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=600,434 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=900,651 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-10-trimming-christmas-tree-img-4008.png?resize=1200,868 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-11-christmas-stockings-img-4006.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580661\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-11-christmas-stockings-img-4006.jpg\" alt=\"Carr, left, Gibson, and Pogue\u2019s Christmas stockings\" width=\"233\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-11-christmas-stockings-img-4006.jpg 638w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-11-christmas-stockings-img-4006.jpg?resize=300,235 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-11-christmas-stockings-img-4006.jpg?resize=400,313 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-11-christmas-stockings-img-4006.jpg?resize=600,469 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 233px) 100vw, 233px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-12-opening-xmas-presents.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580662\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-12-opening-xmas-presents.jpg\" alt=\"Gibson, left, Carr, and Pogue open Christmas presents\" width=\"218\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-12-opening-xmas-presents.jpg 719w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-12-opening-xmas-presents.jpg?resize=300,251 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-12-opening-xmas-presents.jpg?resize=400,334 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-12-opening-xmas-presents.jpg?resize=600,502 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 218px) 100vw, 218px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Left: Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald P. Carr, left, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue build and decorate their makeshift Christmas tree. Middle: Carr, left, Gibson, and Pogue\u2019s Christmas stockings. Right: Gibson, left, Carr, and Pogue open Christmas presents.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For only the second time, American astronauts celebrated Christmas in space. On the first occasion five years earlier, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-apollo-8-in-lunar-orbit\/\">Apollo 8<\/a> astronauts observed Christmas as the first crew to orbit the Moon. In the more spacious Skylab workshop, and with more time to prepare, Carr, Gibson, and Pogue built a makeshift Christmas tree by repurposing food cans, used colored decals as decorations, and topped it with a cardboard cutout in the shape of a comet. They hung stockings on the wall beneath the tree and sent holiday greetings to people on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580669\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg\" alt=\"Image of Skylab 4 astronaut Gerald P. Carr from the mission\u2019s second spacewalk, changing film cassettes in the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM)\" width=\"232\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg 970w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg?resize=300,223 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg?resize=768,570 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg?resize=400,297 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg?resize=600,445 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-13-eva-2-from-video-1.jpg?resize=900,668 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580670\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg\" alt=\"Image of Skylab 4 astronaut Gerald P. Carr from the mission\u2019s second spacewalk, repairing one of the ATM instruments\" width=\"233\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg 972w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg?resize=300,222 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg?resize=768,569 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg?resize=400,296 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg?resize=600,444 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-14-eva-2-from-video-2.jpg?resize=900,667 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 233px) 100vw, 233px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580671\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg\" alt=\"Image of Skylab 4 astronaut Gerald P. Carr from the mission\u2019s second spacewalk, observing Comet Kohoutek.\" width=\"229\" height=\"173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg 954w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg?resize=300,226 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg?resize=768,580 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg?resize=400,302 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg?resize=600,453 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-15-eva-2-from-video-4.jpg?resize=900,679 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 229px) 100vw, 229px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Skylab 4 astronaut Gerald P. Carr in three scenes from the mission\u2019s second spacewalk, with tasks including changing film cassettes in the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM), repairing one of the ATM instruments, and observing Comet Kohoutek.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main task on Christmas Day involved the mission\u2019s second spacewalk. Carr and Pogue spent 7 hours and 1 minute outside the space station, then a record for Earth orbital spacewalks. In addition to replacing film cartridges in the ATM, they repaired a stuck filter wheel on an ATM instrument, and used an ultraviolet camera to photograph Comet Kohoutek. Once back inside the station, they enjoyed a Christmas dinner complete with fruitcake, talked to their families, and opened presents from the astronauts\u2019 wives that the ground crew at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida had hidden in lockers in the Command Module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580672\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg\" alt=\"In the Mission Control Center at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Professor Lubo\u0161 Kohoutek talks with the Skylab 4 crew\" width=\"255\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg 4008w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=300,198 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=768,506 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=1024,674 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=1536,1011 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=2048,1348 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=400,263 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=600,395 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=900,593 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=1200,790 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-16-dr-lubos-kohoutek-in-mcc-talking-to-crew-dec-28-1973-s74-15064.jpg?resize=2000,1317 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 255px) 100vw, 255px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580673\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg\" alt=\"Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, left, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue during the videoconference with Professor Kohoutek\" width=\"221\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg 4241w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=300,228 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=768,584 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=1024,779 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=1536,1168 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=2048,1558 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=400,304 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=600,456 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=900,685 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=1200,913 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-17-crew-talk-to-dr-kohoutek-dec-28-1973-s73-38962.jpg?resize=2000,1521 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 221px) 100vw, 221px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580674\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg\" alt=\"Gibson during the third Skylab 4 spacewalk, exclusively dedicated to study Comet Kohoutek\" width=\"220\" height=\"168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg 942w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg?resize=300,229 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg?resize=768,587 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg?resize=400,306 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg?resize=600,459 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-18-eva-3-from-video-2.jpg?resize=900,688 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Left: In the Mission Control Center at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Professor Lubo\u0161 Kohoutek talks with the Skylab 4 crew. Middle: Astronauts Gerald P. Carr, left, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue during the videoconference with Professor Kohoutek. Right: Gibson during the third Skylab 4 spacewalk, exclusively dedicated to study Comet Kohoutek.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Dec. 28, the day the astronauts reached the halfway point of their 84-day mission, they held an 11-minute video conference with the comet\u2019s discoverer, Czech astronomer Lubo\u0161 Kohoutek during his visit to the Mission Control Center at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston. The next day, Carr and Gibson completed the mission\u2019s third spacewalk lasting 3 hours 29 minutes and dedicated to observing and photographing the comet. Although the crew\u2019s work schedule had improved over the previous few weeks, the astronauts still found it difficult to accomplish the timeline the planners laid out for them. To rectify the problem, Carr requested a dedicated space to ground voice conference so the issues could be aired and rectified. Following what Carr later called the first sensitivity session in space on Dec. 30, planners understood the astronauts\u2019 constraints and the crew worked more effectively the second half of the mission. Capsule communicator Richard H. Truly mentioned that JSC Director <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/johnson\/building-on-a-mission-the-project-management-building-home-to-the-centers-directors-part-2\/\">Christopher C. Kraft<\/a> and Flight Crew Operations Chief <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/former-astronaut-donald-k-deke-slayton\/\">Donald K. \u201cDeke\u201d Slayton<\/a> had listened to the conversation and agreed that the teams \u201cmade about a million bucks\u201d during the 55-minute conversation. The lessons learned about scheduling activities for long-duration spaceflights proved useful to later programs such as Shuttle\/Mir and the International Space Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580685\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg\" alt=\"Williams R. Pogue, left, and Gerald P. Carr place bags into the trash airlock\" width=\"156\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg 2592w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=194,300 194w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=768,1187 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=662,1024 662w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=994,1536 994w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=1325,2048 1325w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=259,400 259w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=388,600 388w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=582,900 582w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=776,1200 776w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-19-pogue-and-carr-compacting-trash-feb-1974-s74-17304.jpg?resize=1294,2000 1294w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 156px) 100vw, 156px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580686\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg\" alt=\"Edward G. Gibson floats into the large volume of the orbital workshop from airlock module\" width=\"359\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg 2937w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=1024,684 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=1536,1026 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=2048,1368 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=600,401 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=900,601 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=1200,802 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-20-sl4-150-5074.jpg?resize=2000,1336 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-580687\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg\" alt=\"Carr and Pogue demonstrate weightlessness\" width=\"160\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg 1962w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=200,300 200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=768,1152 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=683,1024 683w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=1024,1536 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=1365,2048 1365w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=267,400 267w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=400,600 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=600,900 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=800,1200 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skylab-4-1-month-21-sl4-150-5080.jpg?resize=1333,2000 1333w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><br><em>Left: Williams R. Pogue, left, and Gerald P. Carr place bags into the trash airlock. Middle: Edward G. Gibson floats into the large volume of the orbital workshop from airlock module. Right: Carr and Pogue demonstrate weightlessness.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Jan. 1, 1974, Carr, Gibson, and Pogue celebrated the coming of the new year, the first space crew to observe that holiday along with Thanksgiving and Christmas. An American astronaut would not repeat that for 23 years until <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/blaha_john.pdf?emrc=40ac49\">John E. Blaha<\/a> during his four-month stay aboard the Mir space station in 1996-7. On Jan. 10, Carr, Gibson, and Pogue enjoyed a day off, meaning planners only scheduled one third of their time, freeing them to pursue activities of their own choosing. On the ground, mission managers held the 56-day review of the mission and based on the crew\u2019s health and the station\u2019s condition declared the mission go for 84 days, although strictly speaking, managers and flight surgeons approved the mission\u2019s extension one week at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more insight into the Skylab 4 mission, read <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/CarrGP\/carrgp.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Carr<\/a>\u2019s, <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/GibsonEG\/gibsoneg.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Gibson<\/a>\u2019s, and <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/PogueWR\/poguewr.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">Pogue<\/a>\u2019s oral histories with the <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/PogueWR\/poguewr.htm\" rel=\"noopener\">JSC History Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>To be continued \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>With special thanks to Ed Hengeveld for his expert contributions on Skylab imagery.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Share<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"social-icons 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4.5h-5v16h5v-16zm7.982 0h-4.968v16h4.969v-8.399c0-4.67 6.029-5.052 6.029 0v8.399h4.988v-10.131c0-7.88-8.922-7.593-11.018-3.714v-2.155z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"social-icon social-icon-rss\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/feed\/\" aria-label=\"Subscribe to RSS feed.\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 800 800\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M493 652H392c0-134-111-244-244-244V307c189 0 345 156 345 345zm71 0c0-228-188-416-416-416V132c285 0 520 235 520 520z\"\/><circle cx=\"219\" cy=\"581\" r=\"71\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Dec 19, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\"><div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \"><div class=\"margin-bottom-2\"><h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2><\/div><ul class=\"article-tags\"><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/\">NASA History<\/a><\/li><li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/skylab\/\">Skylab<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/flag-day-2024-one-small-flags-incredible-journey\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">7 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Flag Day 2024 \u2013 One Small Flag\u2019s Incredible Journey<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg 424w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=300,212 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=400,283 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">10 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Manned Orbiting Laboratory Cancellation<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-star-trek-final-episode-airs-relationship-with-nasa-endures\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"217\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=300,217 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=768,555 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=400,289 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/star-trek-final-episode-13-armstrong-at-doohan-farewell-anne-cusack-la-times-2004.jpg?resize=600,434 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">15 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Star Trek Final Episode Airs, Relationship with NASA Endures<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 weeks ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In December 1973, Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue passed the one-month mark of the third and final mission aboard the Skylab space station. Launching on Nov. 16, they began a planned 56-day flight that mission managers fully expected to extend to 84 days. They continued the science [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":567740,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2671,2724],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664,11995],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"50 Years Ago: Skylab 4 Astronauts Push Past the One-Month Mark","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-push-past-the-one-month-mark\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-push-past-the-one-month-mark\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/skylab-4-launch-34-pogue-and-carr-at-erep-panel-in-mda-150-5085.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/skylab-4-launch-34-pogue-and-carr-at-erep-panel-in-mda-150-5085.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Uri"}],"creator":["John Uri"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","Skylab","NASA History"],"dateCreated":"2023-12-18T13:23:33Z","datePublished":"2023-12-18T13:23:33Z","dateModified":"2023-12-19T21:55:31Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"50 Years Ago: Skylab 4 Astronauts Push Past the One-Month Mark\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-skylab-4-astronauts-push-past-the-one-month-mark\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/skylab-4-launch-34-pogue-and-carr-at-erep-panel-in-mda-150-5085.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-12-18T13:23:33Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Skylab,NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":8,"time_ago":"6 months","featured_image":{"id":567740,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/skylab-4-launch-34-pogue-and-carr-at-erep-panel-in-mda-150-5085.jpg","title":"skylab-4-launch-34-pogue-and-carr-at-erep-panel-in-mda-150-5085","alt":"Image of William R. Pogue, left, and Gerald P. Carr at the control panel for the Earth Resources Experiment package inside the Multiple Docking Adapter","caption":"William R. Pogue, left, and Gerald P. Carr at the control panel for the Earth Resources Experiment package inside the Multiple Docking Adapter"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580640"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/74"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=580640"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":582913,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580640\/revisions\/582913"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/567740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=580640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=580640"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=580640"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=580640"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=580640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}