Skylab 2

Crew:
Charles C. Conrad Jr., Commander
Paul J. Weitz, Pilot
Joseph Kerwin, Scientist

Launch Date: May 25, 1973
Launch Time: 9:00 a.m. EDT
Launch Vehicle: Saturn 1B
Launch Site: Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center
Recovery Date: June 22, 1973
Recovery Time: 9:49 a.m. EDT
Distance Traveled: 11.5 million miles
Duration: 28 days, 49 minutes

Mission Highlights
First manned mission. The crew rendezvoused with Skylab on the fifth orbit. After making substantial repairs, including deployment of a parasol sunshade that cooled the inside temperatures to 23.8 degrees C (75 degrees F), the workshop was in full operation by June 4. In orbit, the crew conducted solar astronomy and Earth resources experiments, medical studies and five student experiments. The mission completed 404 orbits and 392 experiment hours, as well as three EVAs totaling six hours, 20 minutes.

Mission Achievements
Installed a solar shield "parasol" from scientific airlock. Released solar array wing on EVA. Doubled previous length of time in space.