Feb 11 1973
From The Space Library
Rising costs of the Skylab missions were discussed by Thomas O'Toole in a Washington Post article: Nearly $400 million had been added to cost estimates since the Skylab program had originated seven years ago. Postponement of the first Skylab launch from April to May had added $5 million in overtime costs and NASA had conceded another two-week delay and $5 million in additional costs was possible. Another reason for skyrocketing costs was the post-Apollo switch of emphasis from the moon and planets to the earth. Skylab's original purpose had been to study the sun and addition of the earth studies program on Skylab had added greatly to costs.
Skylab was the flagship of the U.S. manned space program. It was the "most impressive machine ever built," weighing 90 metric tons (100 U.S. tons) and providing living quarters equal to a three-bedroom house. Scientists saw Skylab as the link between the first decade of space exploration and the 1980s, when the reusable shuttle would become operational. It would provide much information about effects on the human body of long periods in space. The last of three Skylab crews might stay in space for 70 days. "If they make it that long without any serious side effects, they will have done as much for space exploration as any of the pioneers before them.” (O'Toole, W Post, Al)
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