NSSDCA ID: 1973-027A-45
Mission Name: SkylabThe primary objective of Skylab experiment T025 was to visually and photographically observe and record the amount of light scattered by particles from thruster firings and waste dumps. One purpose of T025 was to determine the extent and nature of the induced contaminant and to assess its effect on other optical experiments on the spacecraft. Another objective was to look through the earth's upper atmosphere to determine the type and amount of particular matter. The T025 experimental hardware consisted of a modified 35-mm Nikon camera attached to a coronagraph that was placed in the solar scientific airlock of the OWS. From this position, a series of external disks could occult the sun, thereby allowing direct visual and photographic observations of the microscopic contaminant particles as they scattered the solar radiation incident on them. This observing program was involuntarily curtailed when the solar airlock was rendered unusable following the launch. The instrument was quickly modified for extravehicular activity (EVA) and the observing program was reduced to just the atmosphere mode--monitoring the stratospheric aerosols. Although the required modifications were made in time for the second manned Skylab mission, the instrument was not deployed during that flight because the astronauts were not trained for its extravehicular operation. The addition of the Comet Kohoutek program to the Skylab mission objectives in late 1973 enlarged the scope of the T025 experiment again. The T025 coronagraph allowed near-perihelion photographic observations of the comet; the addition of narrowband filters allowed the principal emission features of the comet to be observed. The T025 experiment was deployed on four EVAs during SL-3. Two EVAs were used to observe the earth's atmosphere, and two were used to study the comet near perihelion. Unfortunately, the electric Nikon camera used with the coronagraph during EVA did not function properly, although a few useful frames were obtained. For additional details, see F. Giovane, D. W. Schuerman, and J. M. Greenberg, App. Opt., v. 16, p. 993, 1977.
Questions and comments about this experiment can be directed to: Coordinated Request and User Support Office
Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Mr. George P. Bonner | Other Investigator | NASA Johnson Space Center | |
Prof. J. Mayo Greenberg | Principal Investigator | Dudley Observation |