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National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationSaturn IBLaunch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Skylab 2
Launched
May 25, 1973
Summary
Skylab 2 launched on a National Aeronautics and Space Administration Saturn IB from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on May 25, 1973. It was National Aeronautics and Space Administration's 122nd launch, 2nd this year and humanity's 1,457th orbital launch attempt. It was the 7th Saturn IB flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). Skylab SL-2, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 435 × 446 km orbit inclined 50.0°. 3 crew members flew: Pete Conrad, Joseph P. Kerwin and Paul J. Weitz. The spacecraft was Apollo CSM-116 (CSM-116). 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Watch
- Launch of Skylab 2 (ABC)lunarmodule5
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Human Exploration · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
- Milestone
- 7th Saturn IB flight · 1st this yearNational Aeronautics and Space Administration's 122nd launch2nd this yearhumanity's 1,457th orbital launch attempt35th orbital launch attempt this year
Crew
Pete ConradCommander · NASA · age 42 · 5th flight
Joseph P. KerwinScience Pilot · NASA · age 41 · first flight
Paul J. WeitzPilot · NASA · age 40 · first flight
Spacecraft
Apollo CSM-116 (CSM-116)
CSM-116 was an Apollo Command & Service Module used in the Skylab 2 mission.
- Destination: Skylab
- Mission length: 28 days
- Docked May 26, 1973 at Forward
The Apollo spacecraft successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Skylab SL-2 · NORAD 6655 · 1973-032 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
- Object ID
- 1973-032A
- Epoch
- 1973-05-26 02:45:28 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.44261312 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.0007618
- Inclination
- 50.037°
- Ascending node
- 329.536°
- Arg. of perigee
- 323.8544°
- Mean anomaly
- 36.1864°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 9
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage
- Skylab SL-2 · NORAD 6655 · docked May 25, 1973
Saturn S-IVB-206 · deorbited May 25, 1973
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Skylab 2 (also known as SL-2 or SLM-1) was the first crewed mission to the first US orbital space station Skylab. The mission began on May 25, 1973, 13:00:00 UTC with the launch of a three-person crew. Crew members were the Commander Charles "Pete" Conrad, Jr., Science Pilot Joseph P. Kerwin and Pilot Paul J. Weitz. During their 26-day stay on the station, crew performed station repairs and conducted scientific, medical experiments, gathered solar and Earth science data. The mission ended successfully with the splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on June 22, 1973, 13:49:48 UTC.
Pad
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
2nd launch from Launch Complex 39B, 1st this year · 14th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
59 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
about 4 years after the previous launch from this pad
Questions
When did Skylab 2 launch?
Skylab 2 launched on May 25, 1973. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Skylab 2?
Coverage: Launch of Skylab 2 (ABC). Watch the replay
What rocket launched Skylab 2?
Saturn IB, flown by National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Saturn IB spec sheet
Where did Skylab 2 launch from?
Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA.
What orbit did Skylab 2 reach?
Skylab SL-2, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 435 × 446 km orbit inclined 50.0°.
Which program is Skylab 2 part of?
Skylab. About Skylab