Editing Skylab (section)

== Experiments ==
[[File:Spider Anita.jpg|thumb|Spider Anita flown aboard Skylab]]

Prior to departure about 80 experiments were named, although they are also described as "almost 300 separate investigations".<ref name="guidebook1973ch5">{{cite book|last1=Belew|first1=Leland F. |url=https://history.nasa.gov/EP-107/contents.htm|title=SKYLAB: A Guidebook|last2=Stuhlinger|first2=Ernst|publisher=NASA|year=1973|pages=114|chapter=Research Programs on Skylab|chapter-url=https://history.nasa.gov/EP-107/ch5.htm|access-date=2020-07-10}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

Experiments were divided into six broad categories:
* Life science – [[Human body|human physiology]], [[Medical research|biomedical research]]; [[circadian rhythm]]s (mice, gnats)
* Solar physics and astronomy – sun observations (eight telescopes and separate instrumentation); [[Comet Kohoutek]] (Skylab 4); stellar observations; [[space physics]]
* Earth resources – [[Natural resource|mineral resources]]; [[geology]]; [[Tropical cyclone|hurricanes]]; land and vegetation patterns
* Material science – welding, brazing, metal melting; [[crystal growth]]; water / [[fluid dynamics]]
* Student research – 19 different student proposals. Several experiments were commended by the crew, including a dexterity experiment and a test of web-spinning by spiders in low gravity.
* Other – human adaptability, ability to work, [[Fine motor skill|dexterity]]; habitat design/operations.

Because the solar scientific airlock – one of two research airlocks – was unexpectedly occupied by the "parasol" that replaced the missing meteorite shield, a few experiments were instead installed outside with the telescopes during spacewalks or shifted to the Earth-facing scientific airlock.

Skylab 2 spent less time than planned on most experiments due to station repairs. On the other hand, Skylab 3 and Skylab 4 far exceeded the initial experiment plans, once the crews adjusted to the environment and established comfortable working relationships with ground control.

The figure (below) lists an overview of most major experiments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/abstracts.php?p=1319|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023030919/http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/abstracts.php?p=1319|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-10-23|title=Skylab Experiments|publisher=Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA|year= 1973}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> Skylab 4 carried out several more experiments, such as to observe [[Comet Kohoutek]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/command-module-skylab-4|title=Skylab 4 Command Module|publisher=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum|access-date=May 18, 2018|archive-date=May 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519032308/https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/command-module-skylab-4|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref>

[[File:Skylabexpsheet.jpg|thumb|left|upright=2.0|Overview of most major experiments]]
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=== Astronaut maneuvering equipment ===
As a technology demonstration, the crew practiced flying the [[Astronaut propulsion unit#Automatically Stabilized Maneuvering Unit (ASMU)|Automatically Stabilized Maneuvering Unit (ASMU)]] inside the spacious dome of the Orbital Workshop. Designed to enable astronauts to perform untethered movements in microgravity.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-31 |title=50 Years Ago: Second Skylab Crew Begins Record-Breaking Mission - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/history/50-years-ago-second-skylab-crew-begins-record-breaking-mission/ |access-date=2024-12-10 |language=en-US}}</ref> The ASMU tests established key piloting characteristics and capability base for the [[Astronaut propulsion unit#Manned Maneuvering Unit|MMU]] systems used on the [[Space Shuttle]] missions.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/861834/ |title=Role of the Manned Maneuvering Unit for the Space Station |last=Whitsett |first=C. E. |date=1986-10-01 |publisher=SAE Technical Paper |issue=861834 |location=Warrendale, PA |language=English}}</ref>

=== Nobel Prize ===
[[Riccardo Giacconi]] shared the 2002 [[Nobel Prize in Physics]] for his study of [[X-ray astronomy]], including the study of emissions from the Sun onboard Skylab, contributing to the birth of [[X-ray astronomy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/xmm-newton/nobel|title=2002 Nobel Prize for physics to the discoverer of X-ray celestial sources |website=XMM-Newton – Cosmos|publisher=European Space Agency |access-date=2019-07-22}}</ref>