Skylab 4 PAO Mission Commentary 11 of 32

SL-IV MCI000/I
TIME: 13:17 CST, 31:19:17 GMT

12/16/73
PAO Skylab Control at 19 hours 17 minutes

Greenwich mean time. We're now just about in acquisition
of signal at Guam. We_ll bring the llne up live for
air-to-ground through Guam lasting about 6-1/2 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston through Guam for 6 minutes.
CC 5, and we plan to dump the voice and
data recorder there.
CDR Roger.
and 35 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station
has now passed out of range of the tracking antenna at Guam
and we're half an hour from our next acquisition. Skylab
crew very busy today will be taking a day off tomorrow. And
today's activities include a number of photographs of the
comet Kohoutek, now traveling at more than 140,000 miles
per hour towards the Sun. ItVs now at a distance of about
45,000,000 miles from the solar surface. Closest approach will
be 12 days from today. Also scheduled today is an M092, M093
run concluded this morning on Commander Gerald Cart, a number
of stereo photos of the - all three crew members, and also
some additional comet photography with the S019 later in the
day. Skylab crew has been reporting regularly on its hand-
held photography. Reports yesterday indicated they had
photographed the Falkland Current and also a number
of islands along the coast of South America. Space photography
is not limited to highly sophisticated and automated mapping
cameras that click off frame after frame of film, Handheld
photography aboard Skylab as that nonlinear computer called
"Man" to aim the camera and trip the shutter to capture the
details of a specific feature on Earth or out in deep space.
A feature that's been selected by individual judgement instead
of by the impersonal sweeps of automation. Handheld space
photography beBan ii years ago when John Glenn carried a
35-millimeter camera aboard the Mercury spacecraft Friendship VII
and shot pictures of the Earth along its groundtrack through
the tiny cabin window. The handheld camera continued to
evolve as an important tool in space exploration through
the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions. The tool was passed
to Skylab in the handheld photography tasks that daily have
gone up by teleprinter to the space station. During this
mission a visual operations book was given to the crew, an
extensive book, after a series of 20 lectures by experts in
the various fields. That visual observations book is being
used in addition to a regular teleprinter messages to the
crew. Amoung the Earth features sought through handheld
photography from Skylab are large weather systems, pollution
SL-IV MCIO00/2
TIME: 13:17 CST, 31:19:17 GMT
12/16/73
in the atmosphere and in the ocean, oceanic volcanic activity,

ocean currents and agricultural details such as vegetation
and crop patterns, as well as crop killing droughts in
arid parts of the world. In the first 20 days of this Skylab
flight, almost 150 designated Earth sites or crew selected
targets of opportunity have been captured on color film by
Hasselblad and Nikon cameras. Enthusiasm for the handheld
photography by the Skylab crew is typified in the resent
comment by Science Pilot Ed Gibson, talking to the onhoard
tape recorder. "l'm very encouraged by the visual observations,"
he said. "You actually get better at it and you learn what
subtleties you're looking for. I'm not at all concerned about
having a particular picture called out over again to improve,"
said Gibson. While aiming a camera at a geological fault
zone in New Zealand, Skylab Commander Jerry Carr commented,
"I'ii be darned if I can see the fault lines that are shown
on the map." Carr's failure to see the feature perhaps
points out a limitation of human vision which is cancelled
out by the resolution provided by lenses and film. While
searching for the fault line in New Zealand, however, Carr
detected a possible crossfault in the land structure below
which was suggested by the lining up of a river and lake.
Crew observations and photography may yield still other
surprises in the next two months. Weather conditions, both
foul and fair have been photographed during the current Skylab
flight, including the effects of terrain features upon local
weather. The crew has also photographed the conditions caused
by the clash of cold air and warm Gulf Stream water. And
additional data was gathered on a large cold water spot in
the warm Gulf Stream. Astronauts have also photographed
turbulent squawl lines accompanying fast moving fronts. Instances
of how man can damage his fragile home planet have also been
recorded on film by the Skylab astronauts. The ugly blotches
of oil spills in the oceans, the crew specifically photographed
a very large oil spill off the coast of Argentina several
days ago. Dirty effluent pouring down rivers into the seas
and smoke belched from thousands of smoke stacks, automobile
exhausts, and large ground flares firesp are all subjects
the Skylah crew has recorded. Perhaps man_s failure to preserve
the environment will be corrected by such startling visual
evidence. The crews photography of croplands and agricultural
areas around the world too may aid in better planning of land
use and irrigation to foster the highest return of food
stuffs from the soil. This is another essential step to
help man better understand how to manage the resources of his
planet. The value of space photography is a research tool perhaps
SL-IV MCI000/3
TIME: 13:17 CST, 31:19:17 GMT
12/16/73
has come of age in Skylab, with the automated camera and

scanners and the Earth resources experiment package, complimented
by the smaller handheld cameras, guided by the intuition
and curiosity of man. With the new knowledge gained by
Skylab, man will benefit now and be better prepared than
ever when scientists make regular trips into orbit aboard
the Space Shuttle. This is Skylab Control. We're 24 minutes
from our next acquisition of signal. It's now 31 minutes
after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-IO01/I
Time: 13:53 CST 31:19:53 GMT
12/16/73

Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station now west of the
coast of Chile is about 54 seconds from acquisition of signal
through the tracking ship Vanguard. This pass through Van-
guard will last a little more than ii minutes. Flight Director's
still Charles Lewis and the spacecraft communicator is Hank
Hartsfield.
CC Skylab, Houston through Vanguard for 7
minutes.
CDR Roger, Hank.
CC Correction on that time, Jer. Should be
about ii minutes on this pass.
CDR Okay.
CC CDR, Houston. We'd like to get on TV
XUV slit, white light display.
CDR Okay. I'm off the limb now and going back
Sun center. Do you still want it?
CC That's affirmative. We'd like it in white
light, Jer.
CDR Okay.
CC CDR, Houston. If you get a break at the
panel, or one of the other fellows, we'd like to get the ATM
C&D coolant pumps switched over again. We'd like to get PUMP
C OFF and back to PUMP Bravo.
CDR Okay. I'll get to it in a minute.
CC We watched that PUMP C rev(?) at the stations
we could see it and it looks as steady as a rock.
CDR Okay, Hank. You want PUMP Bravo ON and
Charlie OFF. Is that affirmative?
CC Roger, Jer. Get Charlie OFF and then
bring Bravo ON.
CDR Okay. That's complete, Hank.
CC Okay. Thank you, and we're about I minute
from LOS. We'll see you at Ascension at 09, and that's about
3 minutes from now.
CDR Okay.
PAO Skylab Control at 20 hours 7 minutes Green-
wich mean time. Skylab space station is passed beyond the
range of tracking antenna at Vanguard. Our next acquisition
at Ascension is less than 2 minutes away. During this last
pass we went back again from PUMP C on the ATM control and
display panel coolant loop to PUMP B. After one revolution at
PUMP _ with PUMP C on line we saw no variation at all in the flow
at the station coverage we had. PUMP C was flowing very well at
about 243 to 245 pounds per hour, that's a nominal rate, in fact a
little bit higher then we've seen in the past on PUMP C. We've
now gone back to PUMP B and the flow came up immediately to
SL-IV MC-1002/I
Time: 14:16 CST 31:20:16 GMT
12/16/73
CC Skylab, Houston. We're back with you

through Canary/Madrid for 9 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston. We've got a couple of
things for you here. In regard to the plan for the next pass
(static)
CC Skylab, Houston. We had a handover there
and got caught. A couple of things for you regarding the
next pass. We'd like for you to go ahead and fly the Flight
Plan as we uplinked it, however we want you to keep a close
eye on that region and if you see another flare we want to
go after it, of course. In answer to the CDR. He had some
question about the XUV slit white light display, and why we
wanted to go back to that. Any time we go to Sun center and
we're in limb scan there the PRS mirror is trying to track the limb
and it puts it up against the stops when we go to the Sun
center position is and - we'd prefer that we take the switch back
to the white light display position to keep that mirror off
the stop.
CDR Roger, Hank. I realized that after a
couple of minutes. First I thought you were asking me for some
TV downlinks, and then I finally wised up and figured out
what it was you meant and I remember that.
CC Okay, and one other thing. During this
last pass we noticed that there was a very small error in
the wedges, so at the start of the next pass prior to opening
the S054 - S052 door, we'd like you to zero the wedges.
CDR Roger, Hank. Ed will be on duty then and
I'ii mention it to him.
CC And_ the thing that probably happened
awhile ago, Jer, was that the you started to drive the
wedges before the fine Sun sensor door was fully opened, so
that may have been what introduced the small error there.
CDR Roger.
CC Skylab, Houston. Wetre about i minute
from LOS. We'll see you at Guam at 53, and that's about
26 minutes from now.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is now passed out
of range of the tracking antenna at Madrid, after a long pass
through Ascension, Canary Islands and Madrid. 24 minutes to
our next acquisition of signal. That will be at Guam. During
the Ascension pass just before the space station went into
darkness, Commander Jerry Carr reported that they had a flare
observation going at region 00 on the eastern limb of the
Sun. Carr said that he would continue observations if the
SL-IV MC-I002/2
Time: 14:16 CST 31:20:16 GMT
12/16/73
ground wanted him to. They did instruct him to continue

observations below 400,000 feet or 400-K. Normally observations
are terminated at 400,000 feet because they become increasingly
difficult through the Earth's atmosphere and data is relatively less
valuable, however, with the flare activity going on, a special
effort was made to gather data all the way down to darkness.
They terminated on most of the instruments about 2 minutes
before they went into the darkness, and did get some through
the Earth's atmosphere. ATM control and display panel coolant
loop is still operating fine, Pump B now engaged.
Interesting side note. Crew weights are down remarkably
little from their prelaunch levels, despite an hour of very
vigorous exercise every day. At present Jerry Cart is only
12 ounces lighter than he was on the morning of launch a month
ago. His weight, based on the body mass measurements made
yesterday aboard the space station is 149 pounds, Just 3/4
of a pound less than 1 month ago today. Surprisingly Carr is
a little heavier now than he was a four week - than he was
four weeks ago, which was just a few days after launch.
Science Pilot Ed Gibson is down about 4 pounds since launch.
A weight loss of about 2_I/2 percent, which puts him at 153
pounds. Gibson's exercise program has been the most vigorous
ever on any Skylab. Each day he bicycles an equivalent of
about 50 miles across level ground. Pilot Bill Pogue the
lightest of the 3 astronauts at 145 pounds has lost the
same amount as Gibson, 4 pounds, but most of his loss came
during the first few days in space, when Pogue suffered from
motion sickness. Since that bout of queasiness Pogue's
weight has been remarkably stable. He lost a little more
than 3 pounds during the first few days and just ounces in
the 4 weeks since. Skylab mission now in its second month
is a little more than a third over. The crew passed the
duration record of the Pete Conrad crew 28 days 49 minutes and
49 seconds on Friday morning. Their health continues to be
excellent as they extend their flight beyond what had been
a new world record, less than 6 months ago. Three big events
coming up during the next 2 weeks. An annular eclipse in which
all but the outer rim of the Sun is ohscured will be observed
in part during 6 seperate orbits of the Skylab space station.
The event on December 21 - 24, just one day before Christmas
is to be seen best from locations in South America, the
Atlantic Ocean, and northwest Africa, but it will be seen
in part over most of the United States, particularly the
South and the Eastern portions of the U.S., just at dawn.
On Christmas day a special space walk to photograph the comet
SL-IV MC-I002/3
Time: 14:16 CST 31:20:16 GMT
12/16/73
Kohoutek is being planned. That will take place just 3 days

before the comet passes the Sun at a distance of about
13 million miles. Today the comet, still increasing in speed
is traveling more than 140,000 miles per hour. Its distance
from the Sun about 45 million miles, it's still about 107 million
miles from Earth and moving away just about as fast as we're
chasing it. December 28th is comet perihelion, its closest
pass to the Sun at 13.4 million miles. On December 29th there
will be another space walk planned for the Skylab crew. That space
walk is planned to gather photography on the comet after its
close pass to the Sun to determine what changes have taken
place in it, as it's increased in brightness and in temperature
by the strength of the Sun. Sun, of course, has been
extremely active today region 00 which is Just rotating into
view on the left edge of the Sun's disk on what's called the
eastern limb has given several flares today including a major
M_3 flare, the largest of the mission, Just before the crew
awakened this morning. Several flares earlier in the morning
from that same active region, still not fully in view on the
solar disk. This is Skylab Control. We're almost 20 minutes
away from our acquisition at Guam. It's 33 minutes and 15 seconds
after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1003/I
TIME: 14:52 CST, 31:20:52 GMT
12/16/73

is now about 54 seconds from acquisition of signal through
the tracking antenna on Guam. The pass through Guam will
last a little less than i0 minutes. And at the present
time we have the very beginnings of the handover taking place
here in Mission Control. Charles Lewis, who will be going
off duty at 4, will be available for a change of shift
briefing at 4:30 p.m. central standard time in the Building
1 briefing room. We're coming up live now for air-to-ground
through Guam. Spacecraft communicator continues to be
Hank Hartsfield.
CC Skylah, Houston; we're through Guam for
9-1/2 minutes.
CC SPT, Houston; I have a correction or update
for your S019 maneuver pad message 3134. If you get a chance
the Nu - we had a NuZ change which causes us to have to
update a little bit.
SPT Okay, Hank; I have it. Go ahead.
CC Okay, under the fine maneuver there after
the 52021, leading out to the right there, the first
entry should be 51063, instead of 51005. And the rate that
goes with that is minus .51 degrees. The Y should be 51070,
and minus .56 degrees; and Z, 50076 plus .62 degrees.
SPT Okay, Hank, understand for the fine
maneuver 52021; (garble) 51063, 51070, and 50076. For a
minus .51 degrees, a minus .56 degrees and plus .62.
CC That's correct, Ed.
SPT Thank you, Hank.
CC Skylab, Houston; we're about 1 minute
from LOS. We' ii be coming up on Vanguard at 33 and we
plan to dump the recorder there.
PAO Skylab Control at 21 hours 3 minutes and
33 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is
now passing out of range of the tracking antenna at Guam.
30 minutes to our next acquisition; that pass will he at
Vanguard. This is Skylab Control at 3 minutes and 49 seconds
after the hours.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1004/I
Time: 15:32 CST 31:21:32 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 21 hours 32

minutes Greenwich mean time. Space station approaching the
acquis - the Vanguard tracking site for acquisition. Expect
to have communication in about 3/4 of a minute. We'll
stand by for the air-to-ground.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're with you through
Vanguard for 8 minutes.
CDR Roger, Hank. I got several items for
you.
CC Go ahead.
CDR On S019 Hank, two questions. Number one; I
presume we're still focusing on tube number 2 for cassette
number 2 and it was not in the pad anywhere. I would like
to caution the people writing the pads to be sure and put
that stuff in there because if we don't keep our check and
balance systems going somebody's going to mess up.
CC Roger; we copy, and good point.
CDR Okay. Also, in the S019 pad it says
it would like to have the target, either Betelgeuse or Kohoutek,
I should say and. They'd like to have them at 9 o'clock on
the left hand reticle. Well, that doesn't tell me enough.
Now far out from the center do they want it? And then, Hank
the other question is for the documentary photos. I assume
we're going to use a 10-millimeter lens unless otherwise
specified in the procedures. Is that correct?
CC We_ll check it. And CDR, you're - in answer
to the first question, you're right. It's 22 for cassette number
2 and we'll try to keep that on the pad. You're right, we should
do that, and regards to the pointing, if you look into the reticle
there there's a vertical line off to the left of the center line
and that's where we want - where that crosses the horizontal line
is where we want it the pointing to be.
CDR Okay; copy.
CC And as a reminder_ CDR, we'd like for you to
voice record the rotation and tilt settings there on the
reference star so we can compare for our pointing.
CDR Will do it, Hank.
CC Correction on that, Jer. If you could
get those to us real-time, it really would help us out and
build our pads.
CDR Okay, I'll give it a try.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're 1 minute from
LOS. We'll see you at Canaries at 53.
CDR Hank, did you get my question on the lens
for the documentary photos?
CC Roger, we're just getting that now, Jer,
and the 10-millimeter lens is okay.
SL-IV MCI004/2
Time: 15:32 CST 31:21:32 GMT
12/16/73
CDR Okay, thank you.

PAO Loss of si signal through Vanguard.
Next acquisition in about i0 minutes through the Canaries.
At 21 hours 42 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab
Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1005/I
Time: 15:52 CST 31:21:52 GMT
12/16/73
PAO Skylab Control here in Houston, Texas at

21 hours 52 minutes Greenwich mean time. About a minute
away from acquisition at the Canary site. Stand by for the
communication with the crew through Canaries.
CC Skylab, Houston; we're through Canary
and Madrid for 13-1/2 minutes.
SPT Roger Hank, let me mention a - one
anomaly we have on the X-ray image scope which I've noticed
over about the past day or so. The lower 40 percent of the
scan you do not see on the scope. Some times it's present and
sometimes it's not. And for the past two orbits it's not been
present.
CC Understand the lower 40 percent of the scan -
you can't see it?
SPT That's affirm. On the X-ray image scope
the SO54 on their X-ray spec.
CC Roger, we copy.
CC SPT let me verify, was that a intermittent?
SPT Say again Hank.
CC Roger, let me verify. Was that a
intermittent condition or does it do that all the time?
SPR It'll be like that for several orbits.
It was okay this morning when I first looked at it, and just
recently on the past two orbits it's been missing. It
occurred once before and I neglected to mention it to you.
CC Okay, we copy.
SPT It's in bus 1 or bus 2. For the
X-ray spect under console power distribution. And Hank, looks
like the Sun did it to us again just has I was powering down
with around 6 minutes to go. I believe we're close to the South
Atlantic anomaly. The PMEC count was up, but the BERYLLIUM
APERTURE pumped up to three.
CC Roger, we copy.
CC Ed, we've just checked and we do have a
class-M in progress and - as reported by our Beta satellite.
SPT Hank, you guys got to do a better job of
scheduling down there.
CC Well, if old man Sol would Just
cooperate, we could get a lot of good things done.
CC And, Skylab, Houston, is there - for info,
we'll be dumping the recorder here at Madrid.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're 1 minute from LOS,
we'll see you at Honeysuckle at 41, that's about 34 minutes
from now.
SPT So long Hank.
SPT Hey Hank, what was the size of the previous
flare which Jerry (garble) managed to get a portion of?
CC Our preliminary figures show it's
SL-IV MC-I005/2
Time: 15:52 CST 31:21:52 GMT
12/16/73
Charlis 3.
SPT Thank you. And his other one was a M
something?
CC Roger, class-M but we don't have it any
further than that at this point Ed.
SPT Thanks Hank.
PAO Space station has moved out of range of
the Madrid tracking site. Expect to reacquire in 32 mintes
on the other side of the World. At 22 hours 8 mintues
Greenwich mean time this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI006/I
TIME: 16:10 CST, 31:22:10 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 22 hours,

i0 minutes Greenwich mean time, with a reminder to the
newsmen that there will be a change-of-shift briefing at
4:30 p.m. central standard time in Building i, room 135.
Participating on the change-of_shift will be the off_goin_
Flight Director, Charles Lewis. At 22 hours, i0 minutes,
29 seconds Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC 1007/1
TIME: 16:51 CST, 31:22:51 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at at 22 hours,

51 minutes Greenwich mean time. During the last press con-
ference we acquired via by the tape machine about
3-1/2 minutes of air-to-ground, while the space station was
traveling through the area of the Honeysuckle, Australia
tracking site. Before we play that for you, we'd like to
remind you that the team on - on duty at this time is the
polkadot team, under Flight Director Donald R. Puddy. The
spacecraft communicator is identified as Lieutenant Commander
Robert L. Crippen of the United States Navy. We're about
ready now to play the 3-1/2 minutes of air-to-ground.
CC Good afternoon Skylab, we're AOS over
Honeysuckle for 8 minutes and I understand congratulations
are in order that you guys became parents while we were off.
CDR That's right. You left at the wrong
time, Crip.
CC Oh m I happen to be around here in the
MOCR when you called it down.
CDR Oh, that's right I remember.
PLT We owe it all to you, Crip. It really
couldn't have done it without your good work.
CC I'm sure of that. Did you manage to
see diapause?
PLT Perhaps something resembling that, Crip,
we certainly saw lots of little - of the little fellows
crawling around and we haven't had a chance to look at them
too closely the past 6 hours or so but I think there might
be a couple of more there.
CC Roger.
PLT We're thinking of a couple of suitable
names, Crip. What's your middle name?
CC Harry.
CC For your information in case you haven't
heard the woodpecker, all your Flight Plans should be
on board.
PLT Roger, we've been looking at them.
CDR Houston, CDR.
CC Go, CDR.
CDR Okay, on that S019 run that we just
finished. I did not have time to do any repointing without
affecting the exposures themselves so all I can tell you is
that the comet, rather than being at 9 o'clock on the
vertical crosshair to the left was halfway between
that left-hand crosshair and the center cross hair at
9 o_clock.
CC Okay, copy that, thank you Jet.
CDR Well, I figured moving - trying to repoint
SL-IV MCI007/2
TIME: 16:51 GMT, 31:22:51 GMT
12/16/73
would only endanger the exposure because there was just very
little time in fact, the maneuver only had about 30 seconds to
settle out before it was time for the first exposure, we
really cut it tight.
CC Okay_ copy that. CDR, Houston. Jer
can you tell us where Betelgeuse showed up in it?
CDR Quite frankly I wasn't even sure I could
find Betelgeuse. There were no really bright stars in the
field of view and the two that were brightest of the bunch
I couldn't really figure out in the star field. Can you tell
me what the field of view is of the S019?
CC Seven degrees total field of view.
CDR Well in the star field I saw out there,
there were two brighter stars, one brighter star was out at
3 o_clock at about 0.9 radius, the other one was down at
7 o'clock right at the intersection of the lower horizontal
crosshair and the left vertical crosshair.
CC Copy. Skylab, Houston we're i minute
from LOS, we'll see you again over Bermuda about 37 minutes,
at 23:25, 23:25.
PAO We'll see Skylab over Bermuda in 28 minutes
and 57 seconds. And now at 22 hours, 56 seconds Greenwich
mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI008/I
Time: 17:23 CST 31:23:23 GMT
12/16/73
PAO Skylab Control here in Houston, Texas

at 23 hours 24 minutes Greenwich mean time. About a minute
away from acquisition through Bermuda and then on up through
the Canaries and Madrid. On this the 3124 revolution of the
space station. Standing by for air,to-ground.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're AOS through Bermuda
for 6 minutes.
LOS, we'll see you again at Canary at 23:33, 23:33, and
that's about 2 minutes away.
CC Skylah, Houstonp AOS through Canary.
We have you for about Ii minutes.
CDR Say again_ Crlp.
CC Just calling AOS. We_ve got you for
about ii minutes now.
CDR Okay.
CC CDR, Houston. You got a got a
moment to chat or are you still pretty tied up?
CDR No, go ahead.
CC Okay, in regard to you being pretty
close on time a while ago for the maneuver and only having
about 30 seconds to settle out. And looking back over what
we were doing with the attitude hold maneuvers it sounds like
maybe something got a little bit dropped perhaps down here on the
ground. The problem was that we have not been allowing the
any time subsequent through the time that we've given you for
attitude hold selection to enter the command for the maneu-
ver. And consequently, we show down here on the ground to-
day that the maneuver must've taken about a minute to get
in because it was about a minute behind. And maybe it might
have been close to a minute and a half because we normally allow
2 minutes settling time on the end.
CC And just to clarify how you are entering
the maneuver commands, is it safe to assume that what you're
doing is selecting attitude hold and then entering the
coarse maneuver and then entering fine maneuver?
CDR That's negative, Crip. What we do is
we enter the coarse maneuver and leave the last enter - hold
the last enter until maneuver time. Then at that time, we hit
attitude CMG attitude hold and then 1 second later, we hit the
final enter. That gets the coarse started then we immediately
dial in the fine and that usually takes about 3/4 of a min-
ute to a minute.
CC Okay, well that's - that's the quickest

way that Just saves you from having to put in those four,
but our problem has been not allowing you that that minute
to put in the fine command. So, we'll - we'll factor that
into our planning here and make sure that that's taken care
SL-IV MCI008/2
Time: 17:23 CST 31:23:23 GMT
12/16/73
of in the future.
CDR Okay, good enough, cause boy we really
cut it short on that last one.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're gettin_ ready for
a handover here to the Madrid. And we'll be doing a data/
voice recorder dump through Madrid.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're 1 minute from
LOS. We'll see you again over Honeysuckle in 37 minutes at
00:20, 00:20.
PAO Very quiet pass this time. At 23 hours
45 minutes, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI009/I
TIME: 18:08 CST, 32:00:08 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 49 seconds

before acquisition through the Carnarvon, Australia site.
We're 8 minutes into the new day, that is day 351 of the
year 1973, standing by for acquisition and communication with
the crew.
CC Skylab Houston AOS at Honeysuckle - or
Carnarvon, rather, for 15 minutes.
SPT Hello Crip, I've got an easy one for you.
CC The last easy one I had from you Ed was
about diapause and you aren't not going to do that to me again
are you?
SPT I'm wouldn't do that, this one's really
easy. Tomorrow, I've been looking at the schedule and with
the Sun looking the way it is right now, what I'd llke to do
is during the ATM conference and science conference to be
in flare wait at the ATM. And then I'm goin_ to have the
Housekeeping 7, Jerry's taking care of tonight. So I'd like
to take that period in there where I have Housekeeping 7 JPT
and off duty, and fit in one ATM with essentially a flare wait,
if the flare probability warrants it.
CC Okay, Ed we copy all that.
CC And SPT, Houston, Ed well actually all
of you, wetre sen - getting ready to send you up a new message
on maneuver monitoring and sometime this evening I would
appreciate if you got time, we might talk about it briefly.
PLT Okay, Crip what brings it on? Is it a
change of the system or are we getting smarter again.
CC Well, perhaps a little of both. We have
a software patch here that we are standing by to load after
we go over the procedure with you. And basically it Just
takes away the time criticality of getting into a problem
and that you don't actually go TACS ONLY anymore during the
maneuver.
PLT I'll talk to you more about when we get
a chance, Crip, I've got lots of question.
CC Rog.
CC Skylab, Houston Ed for your information,
that maneuver monitor message is on board in the teleprinter
now so at your convenience, you can take a look at it and do
you have time for one more question, please, sir.
SPT Certainly Crip, go ahead.
CC Okay, in reviewing what went on yesterday
evening in regard to the DAS problem that you had, there was
one question we were not sure that we understood as to how
the answer went and that is in the cycling of switches do
you recall cycling the power switch down by the DAS keyboard,
the power BUS i, OFF BUS 2 switch?
SL-IV MCI009/2
TIME: 18:08 CST, 32:00:08 GMT
12/16/73
SPT Yeah, Crip, I think I answered that probably

as best as I ever could yesterday in saying that when I first
made a DAS entry, there was no - nothing was reflected in
the keyboard; I noticed that the DAS was off and I put it on and
I don't recall flicking it through BUS 1 or BUS 2. I - as
I said yesterday it's not out of the realm of possibility to
happen, but it's improbably because there was no reason for
me to do it and I don't usually operate that way.
CC Okay, we were unclear on the transcripts
here whether that was the switch we were talking about but you
did just take it and to the best of your knowledge went from
OFF to BUS i?
SPT That's affirm, Crip.
CC Okeydoke, thank you Ed.
SPT The - it locked me out twice there and
on the third time in I was able to get i, in fact was it
10131, I think and that's when I hit the enter.
CC Rog.
SPT Hey, Crip, to further clarify that request
on the ATM time, that one pass in the afternoon, what I_d like
to do is to just have the option of taking that one, if the flare
probability is up.
CC Okeydoke.
CC Skylab, Houston we're about 30 seconds
from LOS. We'll have you again over stateside at MILA at
00:57, that's about 32 minutes away and for the PLT, Bill
we've got your phone call set up for that time.
PLT Usual 57?
CC That's affirmative.
PLT Okay, thank you.
PAO At 25 minutes 55 seconds Greenwich mean
time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1010/I
Time: 18:56 CST 32:00:56 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 56 - 56 minutes

22 seconds Greenwich mean time. Space station is approximately
3/4 of a minute away from acquisition through the MILA, Merritt
Island tracking station in Florida. And at this time the
crew is scheduled to be evening - to be eating its evening
meal. Later tonight there will be an S019 experiment which
will require some Skylab space station maneuvering.
CC MILA for about 12 minutes.
PAO And we'll standby for the air-to-_round.
SPT Houston, Skylab.
CC Go, Edward.
CC Skylab, Houston, go ahead.
CC Skylab, Houston, how do you read?
SPT Hello Crip, got you loud and clear.
CC Okay, we had a - some kind of a line
problem there I guess. We have got you through Bermuda for
about 7 more minutes.
SPT Anything down there on the ground in the
way of a flare?
CC Checking.
SPT Crip, let me describe it to you.
CC Do so.
SPT Okay, at around 29 25 minutes remaining_
that was around 00:29 or 00:30 Bill observed a plate breaking
in XUV in H-alpha. PMEC was rising and going through 570.
Beryllium aperture went to 3. We started 54 MOH64 56 in auto
short, 82A in short time mode gave a 15 second exposure.
55 went to the mirror line scan with the detectors to override.
We took (garble) over to the flare took around I think
15 seconds, put the (garble) on the flare, started 82A and B in
a flare mode. PMEC went to just a little above 700 and
started to fall. We waited for a little while and then I
shut down 82B. We gave it a couple or one series of short
times 1/4, wave length short times 1/4, then we got a second
peak. Second peak, damn, you could see exceeded 740, the
image intensity count was up to around 120, and the berryllium
aperture stepped up to 2 alone and went to 3. We restarted
56 and the auto short 54, we continued to run. 55 was in the
mirror line scan, and we restarted each of these. And we
continued in that mode to the end of the orbit.
CC Okay, we copy. You guys are really gettin_
them today.
SPT But it looks as though you certainly got
a full rise on the - the second one. The first one we hit it
on the way up, but we went with the plate brightening and a PMEC
SL-IV MC-1010/2
Time: 18:56 CST 32:00:56 GMT
12/16/73
of below the threshold, but we got there.

CC Very good, thanks for the good run down
on it.
SPT Crip, let me give you a couple of other
things. Frame remaining for 82A are now at 63, 82B 674. You
may want to be doing some thinking about how we handle the
next orbit.
CC Copy.
CDR Houston, CDR.
CC Go, CDR.
CDR Key on this BFS work I'm doing, as I
understand it there'll be no recharges tonight. Just a top-
off on the last one.
CC Okay Jer_ you're supposed to be topping off
2, 3, and 4.
CDR Our 2 and 3 need a recharge not a topeff.
I"m getting the impression Crip, that we should have recharged
them last night.
CC No_ stand by on that Jer.
CDK Okay.
SPT Houston, SPT.
CC SPT, let me clarify Jerry's question.
CDR are you still there?
SPT Hers listening go ahead.
CC Okay, the I m guess maybe the confusion
is that wetre trying to refer you to the right place in the
checklist. We do want to go ahead and fill the bottles up
and the pressure is down to about 700. And if you use your
recharge procedure it has you use all of the nitrogen tank
and the source pressure is down to - to 2 loads to fill the
bottles up. So we want you to use the topoff procedure
which only uses the 2 nitrogen tanks which allows you to go
ahead and fill the things up. And the correct procedure is
the _ is the topoff procedure.
CDK Okay Crip, I understand. A little note of
explanation would have been kind of nice in the details
ahout that.
CC I concur. We're about 30 seconds from
LOS, and we're going to have you again over Madrid at 01:14
and that's about 4 minutes and if it's okay I'll catch you
there, Ed.
SpT Okay_ that's fine.
CC And we do have medrconference settin_ up
at _ at Madrid.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI011/I
Time: 19:11 CST 32:01:11 GMT
12/16/73
PAO We'll have the medical conference dis-

cussion with the doctors at the pass upcominK, that's the
Madrid pass. And we expect to reaoqulre the space station
in about 2-i/2 minutes. We'll keep the line up, although
we expect to have very little air-to,ground communication
initially. Standing by for the pass through Madrid.
PAO Skylab has moved out of range of the
tracking station at Madrid. We'll acquire it again through
Carnarvon - no, correction, through Honeysuckle in 24 minutes.
At 1 hour 23 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab
Control.
END OF TAPE
SL IV MC-1012/I
Time: 19:31 CST 32:01:31 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at I hour 31

minutes Greenwich mean time. We'll acquire the space station
in about 15 more minutes. In the meantime a status report.
The three Skylab experiments within the next 24 hours call
for finite instrument pointing using the gyroscopes on board
the giant space station. Objective, of course, is to obtain
maximum scientific results. Later tonight, the station will
be oriented into a position for comet Kohoutek observation
usin_ ultraviolet stellar astronomy cameras. Tomorrow an
ultraviolet airglow photo study will be made of the comet.
This experiment also requires a station maneuvering a station
maneuver, and fine tuning_ so to speak, And an Earth resources
pass is on schedule also tomorrow, and it too, calls for
instrument pointing. Status report on CMG 2, the gyroscope_
which recently had been beset with signature anomalies, has
performed well today. It has shown little indication of
faltering, but nevertheless is being watched closely by the
flight controllers here at the space center. And there's no
active consideration at this time for a splashdown earlier
than February the 4th, 19 - correction_ earlier than February
the 8th, 1974. That's February 8, 1974 I the planned end-of-
mission day. Oh, we're about 14 minutes away from reacquiring
at - and incidentally we will reaoquire through the Carnarvon
trackin K station. At 1 hour 33 minutes, Greenwich mean time_
this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL IV ME-1013/I
Time: 19:46 CST 32:01:46 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at i hour 46

minutes Greenwich mean time. Coming up on Carnarvon and
the evening status report. Stand by for communications
with the crew through Carnarvon.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're AOS Carnarvon,
9 minutes.
SPT Roger, Crip.
CC Rog, and we're standin_ by for the
evenin_ status report here if Jet's got it ready.
CDR Okay. Here it comes. Sleep: CDR, 5.0,
5.0/heavy: SPT, 8, 6/heavy, 2/light; PLT, 7.45, 7/heavy, and
half light. Volume: CDR, i000: SPT, 1250; PLT, 1800. Water
gun: CDR, 7462; SPT, 2851; PLT, 8944. Body mass: CDR, 6.323,
6.314, 6.314; SPT, 6.369, 6.368, 6.373; PLT, 6.227, 6.231,
6.233. Exercise: CDR, method Alfa, minus 4 minutes; SPT,
no chan_et PLT, no change. Medication: CDR, none; 8PT, none:
PLT, Afrin spray, once this morning, once this evening.
Clothin_ discarded: CDR, none; SPT, one pair of shorts;
PLT, none. Flight Plan deviations: we got no limb volume
on the SPT. There was not enough time allocated. We told
them some time ago that we needed 30 minutes per man to do
that, and they gave us 30 minutes for two people, so we've
got that to go. I missed $233, that was right during the
medical conference. And our plan is to recover that 233
photo when we do the S019 maneuver for Kohoutek. We'll take
the $233 photo out of window 2. DPI8 was not done today,
the time allowed was not sufficient. All the time was used
in just setting up and there was no time left for any photos.
We_ll try to pick some up later this evening if possible.
Shoppin_ list accomplishments: removed the CDR foot restraints
in the wardroom down around to the table pedestal, and the
situation is much improved. And when we get any free time,
we're goin_ to take them up from the PLT and the SPT spots.
Inoperable equipment: same as last night. We have not had
time to troubleshoot DAC 01. Unscheduled stowage: none.
Food log: CDR, 6.0 salt, plus one black coffee, minus two
coffees with sugars, plus 1.5 water; SPT, zero salt, plus
one hard candy, zero water; PLT, 1.5 salt, plus one coffee,
minus 1.0 water. Okay, the photo log: 16-millimeter, no
change; DAC 01, Charlie X-ray 36, 16; 02, India Romeo 14, 16:
03, Charlie India Iii, 12; 04, Bravo Echo 08, 18; 05_ Bravo
Hotel 05, 04. 70-millimeter, Charlie X-ray 17, 116; ETC and
ERFP, no change. Drawer A: Alfa i, no change; Alfa 2, no
change: Alfa 3, 06, Charlie India 126, full, Charlie India,
125: Alfa 4, no change_ DAC, no chan_e. And that's it, Crip.
CC Okeydoke. Very good. I'd say we got
all that down. We got a few questions that we're going to -
SL IV MC-I013/2
Time: 19:46 CST 32:01:46 GMT
12/16/73
going to want to get in. First, I have an item for Ed, up

runnin_ the ATM panel, that we did want to change some ex-
posures for 82B, if he_s got time to copy now, and if he
doesn't, I'ii get him before this pass is out.
SPT Go ahead Crip.
CC Okay. On this - this pass you've got
going, in the JOP 24_ we want those 82B exposures changed
from 5 minutes to i minute and 15 seconds. There's one in
the 24 minute - correction - 21 minute remaining time and
one at 12 minute remaining time.
SPT Okay, Crip. I'm in the postflare. If
people want me to move out of postflare, I'd like to know.
I_m at building block 8, postflare.
CC We're checking on it.
CC Okay, while we're looking into that, Jer,
could I talk to you a little bit about $019?
CDR Roger Crip.
CC Okay. What we'd like you to do - do you
have the pad handy for this next step - upcoming S019 operations?
CDR I_ll have it in 30 seconds. Go ahead.
CC Okay. What we're going to ask you to do
is to delete the star field 237, and instead we're goinK to
ask you - to get you to point at a couple of reference stars
to do a pointing check on the thing,
CDK Okay. You say cancel field 237, huh?
CC That's affirmative. And if you can copy,
l_m goin_ to give you those reference stars we want you to
center up on.
CDR Okay. Go ahead,
CC Okay. First star is Aldebaran. Rotation
28.5. Tilt of 22.8. Second star is Spica. Rotation 164.1.
Tilt 20.4.
CDR Okay. I copied. Aldebaran, rotation 28.5,
tilt 22.8. Spica, rotation 164.7, and tilt 20.4.
CC That Spica was 164.1.
CDR Okay.
CC Okay. What we_d like you to do is record
the tilt and rotation when the stars are centered, and then
we_d like you to read those down real time the next chance we
have. Also, the comet has priority, so if you run behind.
we want you to go ahead and do the comet photography. And
one item we_d like to talk a little bit is about the positionin_
of the comet. You know we talked about before whether they
wanted it on the left-hand vertical line. Well, the problem
is, are you aware of the 2,degree offset that occurs when you're
runnin_ with the prism in as we're doing with the comet operations?
CDR l've heard of it. That's about all.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI014/I
Time: 19:55 CST 32:01:55 GMT
12/16/73
CC - the offset that occurs when you're

runnin_ with the prism in as we're doing with the comet
operations.
CDR I've heard of it, that's about all.
CC Okay, what happens is, that - the -
there's a 2-degree difference in your field of view and
what the camera sees. Your field of view is offset to the
right of what the camera's is. So that's why we want to posi-
tion the the comet on that left-hand vertical line which
is 2 degrees offset. And one item we'd like you to make
sure that it is positioned over there as close as you can
to that line and we can even take shortening the exposure
on the comet up by by as much as 30 seconds to insure that
centering occurs.
CDR Okay, Crip, I'ii do it.
CC Okay, and that's on the left-hand ver-
tical line.
CDR Roger.
CC Also, one item, we can go ahead and
initiate that maneuver i minute early to go to - to the
Kohoutek pointing. And I'ii get back to you on that one.
We're about 30 seconds from LOS_ and we're going to have
you again in about 2 minutes at Honeysuckle. And I'ii con-
tinue with the evening questions there if convenient.
CDR Okay.
CC Stop post flare for Ed_ stop - start
JOP 6, Buildin_ Block i_ we need to get that in.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're with you through
Honeysuckle for a couple more minutes.
PLT Ro_er.
CC Okay, and one question for the SPT if
he has time to answer for it now is, when the SO54 X-ray
image VRT truncates the raster, does the Sun image tend to
move up - does it appear to move up?
SPT Crip, I can't tell right now, because
we don't have enough X-ray intensity to trigger off somethin_
continuously. We'll have to answer that when we get a little
more.
CC Okay_ and the intent of that question
is asking does the - appear to shrink the Sun down in the ver-
tical axis?
SPT When we get something hot on here again,
Crip_ I"ii take a look.
CC Okay, we"d appreciate it. And we're
about i minute from LOS, We_ll see you again over Texas at
02:30, that's in 29 minutes from now. One question I can
leave with you as we go over the hill is, did you do you
SL-IV MCI014/2
Time: ].9:55 CST 32:01:55 GMT
12/16/73
recall when - did you perform a reservoir check after the

EVA and prior to day 28? And if so, do you remember what
was the status of the reservoirs? And the reason we're
asking the question is we're concerned because SUS 1 was
full prior to the EVA and on day 28, the reservoir check SUS 1
reservoir was reported to be 30 percent full. In other
words, there's 8 and a pound - 8-1/2 pounds of water that
we can't account for.
PLT Okay, this is the PLT. I made the checks
before the EVA, and I also made one after the EVA, and before
when it was made the other day. And both times, it appeared
to me that within the constraints of bubbles and (garble), that
the reservoir was full. Let us get our signals together and give
you a better a more intelligent report.
CC Okay, Bill, we'd appreciate that and -
at your convenience. Welre going over the hill now.
CDR Still there, Crip?
CC Ov _ the hill.
PAO And we have received the mission surgeon's
report on the state of health of the crew of Skylab IV. I_ll
quote, "Crew health is good overall. The pilot used a de-
creased amount of decongestant today to maintain the clearing
of the ear fullness." And that's the end of the medical
report on this the 31st mission day of Skylab IV. At 2 hours
4 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1015/I
Time: 20:29 CST 32:02:29 GMT
12/16/73
PAO Skylab Control here at 2 hours 30 minutes

Greenwich mean time, approachin_ the tracking station or tracking
site at Corpus Christi, Texas. And we expect to acquire in
about half a minute, we'll stand by.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're AOS through Texas
and we've got you for 16-1/2 minutes.
SPT Crip, while we got the maneuver going
here why don't I tell you what we finished up on the last
pass.
CC Press on.
SPT Okay, at the beginning of the pass we got
a shopping list item i to take a look at the corona. And
that was initiated before 400K. And then we went to the
llm5 roll the tangent - slit tangent to the limb and put
the oxygen 6 maximized in the oxygen 6 and got around
27,000 and started the experiment in the postflare mode,
that's 56 AUTO, SHORT and 82A SHORT 20 seconds for I0 - every
i0 minutes and 82B SHORT (garble) the quarter. 55 MIRROR
AUTO RASTER and 54 in the MOS256. When we got your call, we
went and did JOP 6, building block i. And I got that all
done in time. In looking at the WLC at the beginning of the
orbit I could see - I could not see any structure in the
corona immediately above the region where the flare occurred.
And looking at it again here at the end of the orbit I think
I could see a small streamer coming out. It's kind of a subtle
difference, so they have to depend upon the film to tell it.
What size flare did that come out to be, did it just get a
little above a C?
CC Okay, the report that we're getting is
that NOAA _ that it was a C3, and it could be higher.
SPT 0kay_ that's what it looked like roughly
around here, C2 or so, I guessed that with the PMEC. And let
me make one small correction to what information I gave you
previously. And that is on the first PMEC rise it just got up
to but did not exceed the threshold for a flare. That is 672
we saw one reading around 670 but did not trigger the flare
alarm. The second one however did go above 736, it was the
other number I quoted was 740.
CC Okay Ed, very good.
CC And Ed, if it's convenient now or in one
of our subsequent passes we would appreciate a readout on
the - on your frames remaining counters.
SPT Okay Crip, here it comes. 09308, 02598,
00058, 00668, 04121, and 02701. Those flare modes sure chew
it up.
CC Okay, we got that Ed. And Ed while we're
talking here during the maneuver, don't want to distract anything
SL-IV MC-I015/2
Time: 20:29 CST 32:02:29 GMT
12/16/73
from that, but if you have an opportunity to review that

maneuver monitorin_ pad that we sent up earlier, we probably
should discuss it. And I think we need to have a discussion
prior to _ to doing the program load that we're considering
doing later tonight while you guys were asleep.
SPT Okay Crip, I'm just looking at it now and
it_ll take me a little while to go through it. How many passes
yet do we have this evening?
CC Oh, we got several more passes, no big rough
rush. I didn't want to keep you up late.
CC Ed, for your information, we got another
9 minutes on this stateside pass. Then we're going to have
you through Madrid and that's a 7-minute pass. And then we've
got you once more through Honeysuckle a little bit later, and
that's a very short pass through Honeysuckle.
SPT Okay Crip, we'll try to get you at Madrid.
CC Okay.
CC And Skylab, Houston, if we could get you
to go ahead and turn pump B on ATM C&D coolant loop off for
the night, we would appreciate it.
SPT We got it.
SPT Hey Crip, entering a maneuver of zero
degrees is kind of tricky.
CC Yeah well it's kind of a neat way to get
the outer gimbal drive logic and still get to where you're
going.
SPT You folks are getting smarter and smarter
all the time.
CC Yeah, those guys are thinkin_ all the time
over there at - all over.
CDR Say Crip, does a nuZ of minus 1.8 sound
about right?
CC That looks - that sounds good.
CDR Thank you.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI016/I
TIME: 20:43 CST, 32:02:43 GMT
12/16/73
CDR Okay Crip, I looked through it, do we

have much time left in this pass.
CC We've got about 3-i/2 minutes, Ed, we
can certainly start talking here if you'd like.
SPT Okay.
CC How would you like to work or would you
like for me to sort of just verbally repeat what - what we've
done there and what our thinking was or do you want to ask
some questions on it or what?
SPT I hink it's spelled out pretty clearly
Crip. Let me just ask a couple questions. Why do we not
change the maneuver time in going back to SI?
CC It was considered there wasn't any real
reason for you to go to it, just means you're probably going
to get back there a little later, but there's no - usually
no big hurry on going back to SI.
SPT Okay, the margin of 6 minutes for the
maneuver time if you're trying to get through an ATT HOLD maneuver
ZLV where'd the number come from_ how much pad is in it and
just how'd they arrived at it rather than say just using the
number which you would come up with by right off the event timer
CC Okay, we were trying to keep it a fairly
simple procedure for you to apply and the 6 minutes came
up out of knowing that you would have diverged from your desired
attitude by at least 20 degrees prior to getting this TACS
only CAUTION and WARNING to come on. And they - that was
just figured up as a low enough rate to cover the 20 degrees
plus in 6 minutes so that we wouldn't get very many TACS
mibs.
SPT Okay.
CC And it's recognized that we're sacrificing
data take time during that period.
SPT Well it's better than none at all which
in the situation we're in before with the ATT HOLD maneuvers.
CC That was our -
SPT Then this is more of a universal procedure
then. It looks pretty good.
CC That's affirm. And I Buess the main
thing I wanted you to understand is that the fact that this
patch, really all it does is just actually keep you from
going to a TACS only condition for - with the exceptions
of solar inertial experiment pointin_ where that - the likeli-
hood of that is very rare or very low probability of it.
But you go everything else will, it'll still ring the bell
and it - that does it based on the same parameters.
SPT Okay, I think that says that first 3 times
at least you got to really keep an eye on it and
SL-IV MCI016/2
TIME: 20:43 CST, 32:02:43 GMT
12/16/73
we have to make sure that our TACS only indication works.

CC That's affirmative. Our initial looking
at it what we would like you to do is to continue monitoring
just like we've done right now, at least to see how it's
going for awhile and we'ze considering the possibility of
actually taking you off the panel a little bit later if every-
thing looks like it's working all right. But what we would
ask you to do is (garble) monitoring it (garble) still go
ahead and to let it go until the CAUTION and WARNING then
occurred and then take the action we designated.
SPT Okay, that sounds reasonable. While
monitoring most of these maneuvers, I've been able to follow
the outer gimbal and gee most of them you folks have done
an excellant job in coming up with the right maneuver time
and times to do the maneuver because we've hardly ever gone
anywhere near the stop and want to say we got an inner gimbal
up near the stops but not an outer gimbal. I think it's
been working real well.
CC Okay, we're about to go over the hill
here, we'll see you again at Madrid at - in about 4 minutes
at 02:52, 02:52.
SPT Okay, Crip have them patch it up.
CC Okay.
CC Skylab, Houston we're AOS Madrid for
6-1/2 minutes.
PLT Okay, Crip PLT here, I have a little
report on this size i reservoir.
CC We'd appreciate it, Bill go ahead.
PLT Okay on my checks, of course you know that's
the one that's hard to see, not only do you have to sort of
check it with the mirror but half the tank is not visible.
And I was interpreting that full decal as pointing to the
seam in the tank there which was - should correspond to full,
well by looking at the ATM coolant reservoir tank here, I
have now determined that what I was interpreting as full was
actually 50 percent. Now when I first did this check, I
don't know some week or so after activation or whenever it
was, I guess it was before that I was seeing it at about
probably 45 percent maybe even 40 and Ed's report is correct.
I would say that he's correct within - he says i0 percent
I'd say 30 percent full to 40 percent full. So what we're
looking at is probably a lot bf _no more or change in no more
than i0 percent.
CC Okay, fine, that's - we understand it
n ow.
SPT Actually how we pulled it off, Crip was
I was able to glitch my head up there in the corner and
SL-IV MCI016/3
TIME: 20:43 CST, 32:02:43 GMT
12/16/73
someone is attributed that to sending a smaller pointed head

which turned out he an attribute for once.
CC No comment. I can appreciate how
hard that thing is to read after tried to do it a few
times at the Cape.
CC For the SPT or the PLT, I've got a
question I'd like to ask you about ILCA?
SPT Go, Crip.
CC Okay, one of the things we'd been
pondering is on Day 347 about 4 days ago, we noticed that
the temperature on the ILCA decreased to about 29 degrees
where it's previously been reading about 39 degrees and then
after the little bit that we went through last night with
the DAS and circling- throwing circuit breakers around we
noticed that it came back up to the 39 degrees and we were
wondering if poss -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCIOI7/I
Time: 20:56 CST 32:02:56 GMT
12/16/73
CC - with the DAS and circling going

circuit breakers around. We noticed that it came back up to
the 39 degrees and we were wondering if possibly you might
have been operating on BUS 2 - At BUS 2 during - during that
period.
SPT That's affirm_ Crip. We Just never got
around to try to sort it out. Wasn't until we asked the
other n_ght that we tried to work the problem.
CC Okay, Ed, that makes eases the
EGIL's mind to know why his temperature is what he antici-
pated. And did did it - it cleared up last night when you
cycled up that circuit breaker that you did not have to turn
off switches?
SPT Crip, I dontt quite understand the
question.
CC No, what I was saying is, that if you lose
AC i, that all you have to do is just cycle the breakering you
did not have to turn the power switches off to do that.
SPT Yeah, that was a misunderstanding on
my part. I partially heard what - I guess it was Dick had
told Jerry. And apparently all you have to do is to make sure
you got fixed on integral and numeric.
CC Rog, okay, very good. We're i minute
from LOS. We_ll see you again at Tananarive in about 17 min-
utes and that's at 03:15 and for - just as a reminder, we've
got the VTR to dump it so itts not available to you.
PAO At 2 hours 59 minutes Greenwich mean
time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI018/I
Time: 21:14 CST 32:03:14 GMT
12/16/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 3 hours 14 min-

utes Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is coming into
range at Tananarive, off the East Coast of Africa. Should
have acquisition shortly and communication with the crew.
CC Skylab, Houston, AOS Tananarive. We have
you for about 5 minutes.
CDR Roger_ Crip. I've got the SO19 results for
you.
CC Ready to copy.
CDR Okay, on Aldebaran, the rotation I've
finally got it - got it set over at that left-hand vertical
reticle line, and on the horizontal center vertical ra - reticle
line, the rotation was 27.7 and the tilt was 22.8. For Spica,
I got 166.9 and 18.4, And for Koh - Kohoutek, lets see, it
was rotation of 204.8 and a tilt of 21.8.
CC Okay, I'm sorry, Jet, that's those are
good, we can take them from there. I mislead you a while ago
when we - when you're getting reference stars like that you can
go ahead and get those in the center since you're actually not
doing any photography of them. It's when you're doing the Kohoutek
photography that you want it lined up on the left side, but that -
that's still good. Thank you.
CDR Yeah, they ought to be able to do a
little subtraction and work that out real well.
CC Yeah_ that - that's no problem at all.
And I think perhaps you heard me talking to Ed about this
patch that we're getting ready to uplink you guys tonight. And
our intent is to go ahead and do that tonight while you're asleep
use a site coverage and to go ahead and implement it while you're
asleep and there should be no problem involved, but per chance
you wake up in the middle of the night with a computer switchover
you know that might be suspect.
CDR Okay.
CC Everybody assures me that that won't hap_
pen, though.
CDR Promises, promises.
CC Roger. And, Jer, also I'd like you to make
a a chan_e on your Summary Flight Plan_ it's a small error
that we made. That's coming up for tomorrow.
CDR Okay, stand by.
CDR Go ahead.
CC Okay, we lost you there for a minute. The
change was down at the bottom - toward the bottom around 00:53,
we call out a detail 00:53 for Bill and that actually should
be under your column. So if you could make that note on yours,
and also inform the PLT about it_ we'd be in good shape.
CDR Okay, the detail I have at 00:53 is EREP
SL-IV MCI018/2
Time: 21:14 CST 32:03:14 GMT
12/16/73
C&D 1 and 2 on.

CC That's affirm. It - it's okay on your
details, it had just been left off on your summary_ it had
been noted under Bill's column instead of yours. I might
lose you here, we're supposed to have you for 1 more minute.
Honeysuckle will be at 03:38, 03:38 in about 19 minutes.
PAO Loss of signal through Tananarive. Re-
acquire in about 17 minutes. At 3 hours 20 minutes Greenwich
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-IOI9/I
Time: 21:37 CST 32:03:37 GMT
12/16/73

minutes Zulu time. Space station is about a half an hour -
about a minute away from acquisition through Honeysuckle.
For a rather low elevation pass, translated that means
we'll have them for a rather short period of time. Standing
by for the call from CAP COMM to the crew.
CC Skylab, Houston, AOS Honeysuckle for a
whole minute and a half.
CDR Man, don't waste it talking.
CC You're Roger that. I'm just going to
go ahead and tell you nighty night here and tomorrow since
it's your day off we're going to let you sleep in a little
bit. And we_ll plan on waking you up at Vanguard. We have a
pass at 14:18, so thatts the one we'll give you call at. Is
that satisfactory?
CDR Yeah, that sounds grand.
CC I'm sure Ed would like to get a little
extra sleep. I was going to read the news to you if you
guys didn't have anything for me here.
SPT Only one question Crip.
CC Go.
SPT How'd the Oilers do?
CC Came close.
SPT Go ahead and read it.
CC 27-24 Cincinnati.
SPT Sounds like a good game, they must have
put up a good battle.
CC Roger that. One item in news, Jerry, I'm
told they missed you at the Cub Pack 795 pancake breakfast
Saturday.
CDR Son of a gun I didn't have my chef's hat
on.
CC Rog, I hear you were pretty good at that.

CC I guess the Skylab news centered about
yesterday's gypsy moth eggs hatching and going through
diapause and all that good stuff. Quick rundown on scores
while we're going LOS. And for your information if you need
us, Goldstone's next pass is at 04:07, and we are goin_ to be
doin_ a data/voice recorder dump, that's about 27 minutes
away. As I go over the hill: Dallas Cowboys 30 - St_ Louis
Cardinals, 3; LA Rams 30 - Cleveland Browns 17; Redskins 38 -
Eagles 20; Oakland Raiders 21 Broncos 17; Falcons 14 -
Saints i0; Buffalo Bills 34 - Jets 14; Kansas City 33 over
San Diego 6. O.J. broke Jim Brown's record 2001 yards.
PAO That was a good night to the crew of
Skylab IV on this the 31st mission day. At 3 hours 41 minutes
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1020/I
Time: 07:49 CST 32:13:49 GMT
12/17/73

Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is now 55 seconds
from acquisition of signal through the trackin_ ship Vanguard.
Pass throuph Vanguard will last approximately 10-1/2 minutes.
This time the Flight Director is Charles Lewis and the space-
craft communicator Hank Hartsfield. Expect the crew will be
up by this time. We'll be having a callup at this station.
This is Skylab Control. We're live now at Vanguard.
CC Skylab, Houston. Good morning to you.
CDK Good morning, Hank.
CC Pretty morning down here. We get about
i0 minutes left with you through Vanguard.
CC Skylab_ Houston. We're 1 minute from LOS.
We_ll see you at Tananarive at 42, and if we don't see you
there_ in regard to the ATM C&D loop powerup for the ATM pass,
we_d like, if you would, to delay that to Hawaii so we can
watch the pump come up.
CDR Okay, Hank. We'll do it.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is passed out of
range of the tracking antenna on the ship Vanguard. Our
next acquisition is 13 minutes away at Tananarive. This is
Skylab Control at 29 minutes and 15 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1021/I
Time: 08:41 CST 32:14:41 GMT
12/17/73

Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is now 55 seconds
from acquisition of signal at Tananarive. Pass through
Tananarive will last 8-1/2 minutes and the spaceoraft commu-
nicator is Hank Hartsfield.
CC Skylab, Houston through Tananarive for
5_1/2 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're i minute from
LOS. We'll see you at Hawaii at 26 about 36-1/2 minutes
from now.
CC Skylab, Houston. We may have dropped out
there. We're going LOS now and we'll see you at Hawaii at 26.
PAO Skylab Control at 14 hours 51 minutes 53
seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is passed
out of range of the Tananarive tracking antenna. Our next
acquisition is 34-1/2 minutes away at Hawaii. Today the
Skylab crew has some off duty time available to them. So
officially the crew day off although in spite of that they
will be doing some work on the solar instruments and also
an Earth resources pass later in the day. Crew slept this
mornin_ until after 8 o'clock central standard time, That's
2 hours later then usual. Scheduled activities between the
short off duty periods available today will include some
Kohoutek photography, ATM solar studies, a science conference,
a late evening Earth resources pass over the Atlantic and
Europe, handheld photography and optional TV, the subject of
that to be determined by the erew_ Carr and Pogue will he
doln_ the Kohoutek and handheld photography _ith Gibson the
only operator on the solar instrument panel. Solar instru-
ment panel includes two sessions at the console primarily
concerned with joint observing program 6. Gibson will be
making scattered observations of recent active areas on the
Sun. Yesterday there were a total of six flares reported
from active region 00, which is just coming into view. Today's
Earth resources pass will begin off the United States and
Canadian east coast on track 58 at 7:58 p.m. and run for 20
minutes of data take time. That covers a total of approxi-
mately 5700 miles. Altimeter data of the water surface over
the Atlantic to determine sea state will be taken to evaluate
in detail the performance of the S193 radiometer/seatterometer
as a - as a device for detecting changes in the ocean surface.
Earth resources data will also be taken of clouds over the
Bay of Biscay off the French coast with the S192 multispectral
scanner to determine relationships between outgoing terrestrial
radiation and various meteorlogical phenomena. The Earth
resources pass will end as Skylab goes over Italy and the
Mediterranean. In the predawn hours over Italy the Earth
resources sensors S191 infrared, S192 multispectral, and the
SL-IV MC-I021/2
Time: 08:41 CST 32:14:41 GMT
12/17/73
S193 microwave sensors will take data of known geothermal

areas. The main purpose will be to interpret nighttime
S192 infrared imagery for identifying hot water and steam
associated thermal areas in the Tusan-Apennine region of
Italy. Handheld photo targets scheduled today are concerned
with ocean currents. Photos will be taken of current eddies
off the west coast of Peru and off southwest Africa and
current boundaries in the south Tasman Sea in the Pacific
Ocean. Crew is scheduled to retire at i0 o'clock this evening,
but the sleep period tonight will be only 6 hours. They'll be up at
4 a.m. tomorrow for an early Earth resources pass over the
western U.S. Crew have been makin_ regular reports on their
handheld photo opportunities including numerous fires seen
in South America, snow cover on various areas, fault lines,
pollution problems, and also a major oil slick off of the coast
of Argentina. Yesterday Pilot Bill Pogue reported seeing
approximately 500 _ approximately 50 to i00 small icebergs.
The area identified, and he did photograph them with his
Hasselblad camera, was 40 degrees west longitude and about
48 degrees south latitude, approximately 700 miles to the
east of the Falkland Islands. He said that he had never
seen so many icebergs all in a - all together in such a small
place, and this is of course very near the southern limits
of the Skylab orbit. Pogue also reported on seein_ some
very interesting geology in Angola in Africa. Part of south-
west Africa he identified sand dunes and several massive
thunderstorms. He said that it was a combination of three
items of interest_ the geology, the sand dune surfaces, which
are being studied by a number of investigators, and also the
thunderstorms in the same area. That photography was taken over
parts of southwest Africa. This is Skylab Control. We're
half an hour from our next acquisition of signal at Hawaii.
It's now 56 minutes and 24 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI022/I
Time: 09:25 CST, 32:15:25 GMT
12/17/73
PAO Skylab Control at 15 hours 25-1/2 minutes

Greenwich mean time. Wetre now within range of the tracking
antenna at Hawaii. We'll bring the llne up live for a pass
lastin_ 9 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston through Hawaii for
9_i/2 minutes.
CC And SPT, Houston. We're standing by
any time to get pump B on, on the ATM C&D coolant loop.
SPT Okay_ Hank. I'll have to wait until 233
is done. Jerry is at the MDA with it all dark and his dark adapted.
CC Okay. We copy.
SPT Okayp Hank. You want to pump Charlie on
now?
CC Pump Bravo.
SPT Okay. Pump Bravo.
CC SPTp Houston. Pump Bravo looks real
good to us and we've got about 3 minutes left on this pass
and if it's possible, we_d sure like to see the NuZ update
so we can get some calculations ready by Vanguard.
SPT You've got it, Hank.
CC Okay. Thank you_ Ed.
CC And PLT, Houston. If it's convenient,
I_ve got a couple of items for you on the S063 you got coming up.
PLT Okay_ Hank. Go.
CC Okay, Bill. In regard to the pad you got
the message 3224 Alfa, we made an error in the tilt. Down
there, it reads 24.6 and it should read 23.1.
PLT Roger. Change tilt of 24.6 to 23.1.
CC Okay. We got one other thin_ for you on
the S063 your running here about 16:49. After you complete
the data take, if it's feasible or convenient to you, we'd
like for you to center, the comet nucleus in the camera FOV
field of view and record the tilt and rotation for us. And
the reason we want this is we're trying to Just get another
data point on this AMS pointing accuracy.
PLT Rog, After the data take, center the
comet nucleus and record rotation and tilt angle.
CC Okay, and that does it for that, Bill.
Thank you very much and we're about 45 seconds from LOS. We
will see you at Vanguard at 56 and we plan to dump the recorder
there.
PLT Thank you, Hank.
26 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylah space station is now
out of range of the tracking antenna in Hawaii. 20 minutes
from Vanguard. Last pass, there was some discussion about
SL-IV MCI022/2
Time: 09:25 CST, 32:15:25 GMT
12/17/73
between Pilot Bill Pogue and spacecraft communicator Hank

Hartsfield about the use of the S063. It's scheduled for
comet operations this morning. Normally, that's used for
photographing the Earth's atmosphere. Scheduled operations
are to take place right around ii o'clock central
standard time, about 17:00 Greenwich mean time. And the
Pilot was instructed to also at the conclusion or during
the run, to center the comet in the field of view to determine how
accurate their pointing has been with the articulated mirror
system. That articulated mirror system allows them to look
around the side of the vehicle and it has been used on a
number of instruments. The purpose of the test is to determine
exactly how - how good the pointing accuracy has been so far.
19 minutes to Vanguard. 37-1/2 minutes after the hour. This
is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I023/I
Time: 09:55 CST 32:15:55 GMT
12/17/73

50 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylah space station is now
within range of the tracking antenna on the ship Vanguard.
We're live for air-to-ground at Vanguard for about 9-1/2 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're through Vanguard
for 9-1/2 minutes and CDR, if it's convenient, we'd like to
talk with you checklist things in here.
SPT Hank, are you ready for the TV downlink?
CDR Roger, Hank. Go ahead, and Ed wants to
know if you're ready for a TV downlink?
CC Okay, we're checking,
CC Skylab, Houston. Web're ready for the TV
downlink and CDR, like to talk to you a little bit first about
permanent general messages. The other day we noticed you'd
called down that you had one missing. Now, how we're working
that down here is in the back of the Flight Plan. We've
inserted extra pages and each time we get a permanent general
message we're pasting it in there, and we've been sending up
two copies for you. One to do that with and the other one to
put around in the vehicle wherever you thought it would be
appropriate to use it best.
CDR Okay, Hank. Essentially_ what we're doing,
is the ones that are valid are stuck up on the freezer chiller
doors, where everybody can see them easily and when they're not
valid anymore, we're tossing them out. And, we made the assumption
that 008 was not valid after it was used once.
CC Okay, you might if you like try what we're
doing, like putting them in the Flight Plan that way and at
least you have permanent record and we_ve - will try to keep
you advised on which ones are still current and tell you when
to throw them away. Now, we sent up a message last night re_arding
which ones of the permanent general messaRes were still valid,
and there's a couple of things I need to talk to you about on
that. We've indicated that permanent general message number
4 Delta is valid and that 4 Charlie isn't anymore. Well that's
not fully true. In 4 Delta, we're telling you that we're
considering deleting the crew monitoring requirement on the
maneuvers, and 4 Charlie, which we indicated wasn't valid, has
the monitoring procedures in there, so what we"d like you to
do is to hang on to 4 Charlie until we make our final decision
in regard to crew monitoring.
CDR Okay, 4 Delta is stuck right over 4 Charlie,
which is over Bravo, which is over Alfa.
CC Okay, you're in good shape there. And,
the other thing is when we prepared that message we gave you a
SL-IV MC-I023/2
Time: 09:55 CST 32:15:55 GMT
12/17/73
permanent general message 13 as being valid and as you probably

noticed we uplinked a 13 Alfa last night, which will replace
that one.
CDR Roger. We got it posted.
CC And, a couple of days ago we sent up a
message for the SPT, in regard to the C&D filter inspection_
and we'd like to get him to throw that away. It was just a
procedure we wanted him to consider, but we've got another
one that's in review now, which we think is a little more
comprehensive and will do a better job of it.
SPT Okay, Hank.
CC And that message_ Ed, was 3041 Alfa.
SPT Roger. I got it tucked away. Thank you.
CC Okay, one other thing_ Jerry, in regard
to what happened yesterday on the limb volume measurements,
we weren't trying to cheat you out of any time there. We
thought you were only doing the left leg and left arm. We
sent up a checklist change which was supposed to indicate that,
and the - and it changed the index to the checklist, where it
just referred to left arm and left leg, and we're the first to
admit that that wasn't very clear and the intent was to only do
the left arm and keg, which would only take 15 minutes per crew-
man, and we are in the process of trying to correct that. We
should have in addition have deleted - had you delete the right
leg and arm columns in your card where you post it there.
CDR Okay. Which change was that that that
word came up at?
CC Okay. Let me look that up. Essentially
all I did was chanKe the index there, which really isn't very
clear, and it's our fault_ and we're going to try to straighten
it out. The reason we got into this again - the reason we got
in the bind there was that we thought you were only doing one
leg and arm, which would have taken the shorter time.
CDR Okay, you're right, Hank. I find it
dutifuly noted in the index, but not in the text of the llmb
volume measurements.
CC Yeah, and that's not very clear, Jet, and
we're the first to admit it, that we should have in addition,
as I say, had you delete the column so there'd be no doubt
about it. And that was change number 2 to that checklist and
it was on message number 1437 Alfa.
CDR Okay, I'ii tell you. Don't bother with
any more paper work up here. We'll just go through right now and
cancel out all the right arm, right leg columns and we'll let
SL-IV MC-I023/3
Time: 09:55 CST 32:15:55 GMT
12/17/73
the change 2 stand where it is.

CC Okay, we copy.
CC And CDR and SPT, we'd like to apologize for
the scheduling conflict we had this morning in regard to 233
and ATM at the same time. We did get your note and we'll try
to see that doesn't happen again.
CDR Okay, the comet is getting closer and
closer to one of the struts out there that supports the ATM,
I wouldn't be surprised in the next day or two if we don't
find ourselves occulted again.
CC Okay. You can keep us posted on that
Jar, if you would.
CDR Will do.
SPT Hank, you got a moment for me to tell you
what I see in the monitors?
CC Go ahead, Ed.
SPT Okay, the corona has got a very sharply
well defined helman (?) streamer, which is exeeptionaly well
defined and very distinct running out at around i0 o'clock,
maybe a little less than that, looks like itts above, or at
the same latitude as active region 99_ rather than 00. From
there on down to the south or around, oh_ about 8:30 or so is
just a uniform series of relatively small streamers with a lot of
material filled in between them. I don't see anything
pronounced over 00. And over on the west limb, we have a
streamer which is pretty much the same angle all the way out,
that is the sides of it are just linear, or straight, it's
not a helmar (?) streamer. That's over at around, oh, 3:30 or
so. XUV monitor shows pretty much what wetd expect, 00 being
the brightest, 99 showing up and then the other active region
over there on the east limb - or, I'm sorry_ on the west llmb.
No surprises there.
CC Roger. We are copy, Ed, and thank you and
our next contact will be at the Hawaii at 17:04 and that's
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I024/2
Time: 10:06 CST 32:16:06 GMT
12/17/73
CC And Jer, I don't know whether you've been

advised or not, we'd like to give you a brief rundown on
what tomorrow looks like and see how it suits you. What we
have scheduled tomorrow morning is a geothermal EREP with - it's an
early getup. In fact it starts at i0:00, will be your wakeup
time in order to do it. And we just sort of got ourselves in
a box. We have to wait until it gets dark on the CONUS
and then we have two opportunities. One's tomorrow and
one's today - 2 days later, and it's an even earlier wakeup,
and we're trying to keep it within 2 hours of the normal
getup, and - and in the same day, tomorrow evening, we've
got 201 op scheduled and because of that - and we can't get
you to bed before your regular time, which makes it a pretty
long day. However, the following day we've scheduled you to
sleep later to try to make some of this up.
CDR Okay. Let me get this straight. That
means tomorrow morning we'll be getting up 2 hours earlier
and staying up until normal bed time, next day we'll be able
to sleep in?
CC Roger. The next morning we'll give you
one extra hour's sleep which would mean that would be a 9
hour sleep period, and we could - we did talk DOT into moving
the rocket launch up for the 201 tomorrow night. We're going
to try that again. And - and we're again running out of
windows on that thing. We're sort of caught in the - we're
losing our opportunities now, Jer, and it - it kind of
hampers the schedule a little that - we're wondering it was okay
to you to go ahead and do this.
CDR Okay. And we'll just have you owe us one.
CC All righty, and we're about 30 seconds from
LOS. We'll be coming up on Vanguard at 35 and I believe we've
got an ATM conference there for Ed.
CDR Roger.
PLT And just a quick note, Hank. The - if what I
saw in the field of view of the comet, it's relatively centered
for this S063 I just performed. Also, I only had 5 seconds
between the time I finished my nominal exposure and the time
the maneuver started back, and on top of that there was light
on the mirror when I did look in there, so I wasn't able to
perform that last action. I did use the tilt that you pre-
scribed.
CC Roger. We copy, Bill.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab is now out of range of the
tracking antenna on Hawaii. Our next acquisition, 22 minutes
and 40 seconds away, is at Vanguard. The very end of this
pass Pilot Bill Pogue mentioned that the S063 operations,
SL-IV MC- I024/i
Time: 10:06 CST 32:16:06 GMT
12/17/73

passed out of range of the tracking antenna on Vanguard ship.
Our next acquisition is just about an hour away at Hawaii.
During this last pass Science Pilot Ed Gibson gave a brief
report on helmet streamer that he had noticed in active re-
gion 99 area on the solar disk. That's part of a number of
reports given by the Science Pilot. Later in the day there
is a conference scheduled for all the major scientific areas.
That science conference will be participated in by all three
crew members and begins a little after 19:00 Greenwich mean
time, about 3 hours from now. This is Skylab Control at
7 minutes and 25 seconds after the hour.
8 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is now
within range of the tracking antenna at Hawaii. We're live
there for air-to-ground a little less then 7 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're through Hawaii
for 6 minutes, and we need to uplink you some new momentum
bias if we could have the DAS for a second.
SPT You have it, Hank.
CC CDR, Houston. Are you involved in your PT
such' that you can't answer a couple questions?
CDR No, go ahead. There's no way I can get
involved in PT with no movement, no light.
CC Okay. What we would like to do is ask you
first, how long does it take you to switch the 233 stuff from
one window to the other in the STS? We need that for flight
planning purposes.
CDR It'll probably take a half hour to get
the - get it all rigged. And then after that each time it'll
only about about i0 or 15 minutes.
CC Okay. So like if it's in window 3 now
and we wanted you to move it to 2 we should allow you about
30 minutes for the new setup. Is that correct?
CDR Yes, that's right, because we'll have to
do some cardboard cutting and taping and things like that in
order to get something set up in window 2.
CC I see. Or - in order to avoid the ATM con-
flict with the 233 you had a, $233 schedule for 23:07
to 19 was the window, we'd like you to move that back, if you would,
to 21:34 to 46 is the new window, and that'll avoid that
conflict.
CDR Okay. 21:34. Is that the first exposure?

CC We'll be getting you a new pad up, Jer,
to give you the exact figure to support that time.
CDR Okay. Good enough.
SL-IV MC-I024/3
Time: 10:06 CST 32:16:06 GMT
12/17/73
which is comet photography using the camera normally used

for photographing airglow in the ultraviolet range, was com-
pleted just a few seconds before the maneuver returned to
solar inertial. The spacecraft had been maneuvered earlier
today to allow that comet photography to take place, and he
did not have very much time for locating the comet specifically
in the center of field of view, so he followed the instructions
from the ground on locating it rather then using visual ob-
servations to do so. 22 minutes to our next acquisition of
signal. This is Skylab Control at 12 minutes 52 seconds
after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI025/I
Time: 11:33 CSt, 32:17:33 GMT
12/15/73
PAO Skylah Control at 17 hours 33 minutes

and 50 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is
now just west of the coast of Chile, about to come in acqui-
sition of signal through Vanguard. Spacecraft communicator is Hank
Hartsfield and the Flight Director on duty now is Charles
Lewis.
CC Skylab, Houston we're through Vanguard for
i0 minutes and as a reminder, we're in the NuZ update window
and I'ii be turning over for ATM conference.
MCC Skylab, Houston. How do you read?
SPT Houston, read you loud and clear. How
(garble)?
MCC Okay. Read you loud and clear. Apparently
missed the AOS call. We got about 9 minutes left and as a
reminder, we%re in the NuZ window and George is standing by
for the ATM.
SPT Okay. You got the NuZ update around 5
minutes ago and George_ go ahead. Good to talk with you.
MCC Good morning, Ed. Do you read me okay?
You read me okay, Ed?
PLT Go ahead, Bill.
SPT Loud and clear. Go ahead, George.
MCC Okay. The topics for discussion this
morning are first of all, suggestions you might have for the
planning meeting today. Then, some discussion on the JOP ID
spicule results, use of observing time, and then some discussion on
coronal loops. So first of all, do you have any suggestions
for the planning committee today?
SPT Well, depending upon how active region O0
looks for the remainder of the day_ I would say that's something
we ought to concentrate on fairly heavily and see if we still can't get
a good flare rise out of it. That's what I'm shooting for right
now and you may want to devote some time to that tomorrow as
well as just some normal patrol activity on that as well as
the corona above it.
MCC Okay. Very good. Okay. I'ii get into the
JOP ID spicules. First of all, you recall that these are the
observations that you quoted that the limb was building block
28 option B, where you get series of miniRASTER about a
m±nute apart time. The data looked excellent and, in fact,
contains some suprises. It appears that we can distinguish the
tops of some spicules. We can in fact see them appear and
disappear from one minute to the next. And the big suprise
is in the data that you took at the North Pole. We see four
jets of material sticking out from the limb. You apparently
could see one of these jets in H-slfa according to the dump
tape, The jets of material are about i0 arc seconds wide,
SL-IV MCI025/2
Time: 11:33 CST, 32:17:33 GMT
12/15/73
shoot up about 30 to 40 arc seconds above the limb, and have

a lifetime of about i0 minutes. In Lyman-Alpha, their
peak brightness is 5 i0 or - 5/10 percent of the disk intensity.
And we were really amazed to see such dynamic phenomena cause
it was in the polar region and it was right in the middle of
a coronal hole. And - -
SPT I certainly -
CC Go ahead.
SPT I certainly felt that way too, George, when
I saw it. I did see some other lower lying activity, but I
only pointed out the most prominent and I didntt want to get over
enthused about talking about activity at the North Pole. At
least someone come up and take me home.
MCC (Laughter) Yeah, in fact, we've been talking to
Neil Sheeley about it and apparently they see these features in 304.
And he said, looking at the coronal at the Poles, in coronal
holes is a good place to see these things. So we'll probably
try to do it again sometime in a few days or when the Sun quiets
down again.
SPT Okay.
MCC Okay, fine. Next topic is the observing
time. You've asked a number questions about it. The first of all, you
appear to be making excellent use of the observing time and getting
excellent data. 82B and 55 are particularly happy with the
results thus far. And as far as we're concerned, modifying the
shopping list items to take what you judge is the best type of
data on a given phenomena (sic) is fine with us. In fact, we get
some of our best data this way. And in the future, we'll try
to work in as much observing time as we can, since as you know, it's
the best way we can get targets of opportunity like the FR you got the
other day. Over.
SPT Okay. Thanks very much, George. I'd
appreciate any straightforward feedback you have on what we're
doing. I'd like to make the optimal use of these instruments
and any kind of information you can give me, pro or con, I
appreciate.
MCC Yeah. Okay. One specific on that is we've found
that these mini-RASTER that you've been running both in shopping list
in the option 28, on building block 28 or option B on building
block 28, are very nice because the - they give us something
we didn't get before cause the mirror auto raster's got
a nice field of view with 5-minute time resolution. The mirror
line scan gives us a good time resolution but has only one dimen-
sion. So these mini-rasters you've been running, just like you
ran some series on the limb, are really a nice compromise. You
get good time resolution and some spatial information.
SPT Okay. Very good. Let me point out that
You did get a flare rise on the mirror line scan at the very
end of this last orbit. Mother Nature did it to us again and put
SL-IV MCI025/3
Time: 11:33 CST, 32:17:33 GMT
12/17/73
off a flare right around 4 minutes remaining.

MCC Very good. Oh, speaking of another topic
is, which I've got put on a list of the topics, is H-alpha film
We have an abundance of film. We have plenty of it. So when
you get flares, or you get active regions_ you can usually
kick it up to two frames a minute and in fact, we'll send you
a general message on this tonight or tomorrow.
SPT Okay. Are we in the South Atlantic anomaly?
MCC Yes.
SPT Okay. Thank you.
MCC Okay. Now, I'll get on to the coronal
loops. We're becoming more and more fascinated with these
phenomena and we appear to see three separate classes of loops.
First of all are the prominence type loops which have strong
emission and low temperature lines like Lyman lines, carbon 2,
carbon 3. Then a second class are the medium temperature loops
which are usually the prettiest loops, giving beautiful arch
structures and these have the strongest emission in oxygen VI
and neon VII. And then, finally, are the high temperature
loops which you see in X-ray pictures and high temperature EV (?)
lines like silicone XII and iron XVI. And one thing we'd dearly
love to see are some spectra of these features when you on
the limb. And JOF 2C step 5, is a oh, shopping lest 26 can
be used to get these - and the best technique we've seem to
come up with is to go to the neon VII llne at detector 3 - go
about 20 or 30 arc seconds above the limb and then try rolling
back and forth Sun center to see if you can pick up a loop. And
then when you get one, zeron zero in on it and get some spectra.
SPT Okay. That sounds like a good idea. That
one time - I guess it was over a week ago or so, I think I was
actually able to see the basis of a start of a loop in H-alpha.
And I - I believe Pilot (?) came up and said yes, you did see
some loops there. So that may be another way in which I could
help locate it.
MCC Yeah. In fact, we find that both the low
temperature loops and the medium temperature loops may - you us-
ually can see Lyman alpha in both of them, which means that you
may be able to see them in H-alpha. Surely the low temperature
ones you can.
SPT Okay. How was that neon VII 465 line for -
a very hot one on the flares and suhflares?
MCC I don't think we have any data in neon VII
on that. The
SPT I think you got some yesterday.
MCC Okay. I haven't seen yesterday's data yet.
SPT Okay.
MCC Oh, another line you might try is the option
5629 line, which we can give you a message on that if you want.
SL-IV MCI025/4
Time: 11:33 CST, 32:17:33 GMT
12/17/73
MCC It has somewhat higher signal than neon VII.

SPT Okay. The reason I asked about - hold on -
go ahead, George. Let me fix something here. Go ahead.
MCC Okay. Oh, another reason we're interested
in the loops, just might mention is, when 87 was on east limb
We had a nice set of east west loops and found we got a subflare
in the eastern foot of one loop, then the entire loop brightened
up to get a (garble) brightening in the western foot of the
loop. Then the whole loop faded and we got another subflare
back in eastern - end of loop. Which almost appears like we
have material bouncing back and forth in the loop causing flares on
either side of the loop.
SPT The reason I asked about neon VII is I was
thinking if we could get some good loops above the limb before
we move out, I might try rolling so that we have the bottom part
of your mirror auto raster above the limb and put it so we
have one neon VII on one of the detectors. Maybe your green
position, 772. And if we did get a flare at that time, then of
course, you would be getting flare data with neon VII.
MCC That's (garble) an excellent suggestion.
Yeah, we'd be happy to see you try that.
SPT Okay.
MCC Oh, another thing on the loops is the fact,
since we do seem to see changes in loop structure before and
after flares, and that getting occasional snapshots of regions
like double 0 to see the preflare loops, it'd be very nice
to have.
SPT Okay. Let me ask you one other thin_ of
immediate interest, and that is, have you been able to detect
in oxygen VI, the rise time of intensity near relative to the
X-ray? I've been noticing here that if monitor (garble) de-
activate (?) (garble) 30,000. Detector just tripped off and
we're just up to 50,000. I've got it over right now and I'm
wondering how much of a good procedure this could be. Right
now, my PMEC is (garble) South Atlantic anomaly (garble) I have
(garble)
MCC Right. We're going LOS now. We'll see
you at Ascension at 50.
MCC Yeah, we'll try - we'll look at the data, Ed.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I026/I
Time: 11:45 CST 32:17:45 GMT
12/17/73
SPT (Static) (garble) South Atlantic anomaly

(garble) (static)
CC Okay, we're going LOS now, we'll see
you at Ascension at 50.
MCC Yeah, we'll try it - we'll look at the
data, Ed.
20 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is passed
out of range of the tracking ship Vanguard. Our next acquisition
is 5 minutes away at Ascension. During this pass over Vanguard,
we had a discussion between coinvestigator on the Harvard
College Observatory experiment, Dr. George Withbroe, talking
to Science Pilot Ed Gibson about a number of things, including
spicules on the surface of the Sun. Dr. Withbroe pointed out
that jets can be seen traveling up from i0 to 40 arc seconds
above the limb, near the north pole. The reason for particular
interest in that is that the north pole is notoriously quiet
as a region on the Sun, as opposed to the Equator, where most
of the major active regions occur. Science Pilot Ed Gibson
indicated that the - that he had not gone into great detail
discussing activity he saw at the north pole. He said he
was afraid someone would come up and take him back down.
There are some new things coming out of the ATM research, of
course, and have been for quite a while. This apparently another
new development based on some of the research from the Skylab
mission. This is Skylab Control. We're about 4 minutes from
acquisition of signal at Ascension. We'll keep the line up.
The Ascension pass is about a 7-1/2 minute one and this was
just the first of several science conferences to be held today
on the crew day off. They're of course scheduled for
showers later in the day and continuing their comet photography;
they did complete photography this morning and they will do a -
Commander Carr will be completing $233 photography this
alternoon. That's of course, the twice-daily photography
done to keep exact measurements of the brightness and size
of the comet. Science Pilot Ed Gibson also said that he had
spotted another flare at the end of the last orbit. The same
thing that happened to him yesterday about this time, just
as they were going into the darkness period of the orbit they
observed part of a flare. They have been getting some very
good activity starting up now on the Sun. The solar activity
still not nearly at its peak but several active regions are
beginning to move back onto the disk that faces the Earth.
Prominent one right now is region 00, which is located on the
southeast - in the southeast quadrant, having just
SL-IV MC-I026/2
Time: 11:45 CST 32:17:45 GMT
12/17/73
come on the eastern limb of the disk. That's to the lower

left of the disk as it's viewed from Earth. Little earlier
that - the later operations of $233 were moved up, originally
they were scheduled for a little alter 23:00 Greenwich mean
time, they've now been moved to 21:34 to 21:46 Greenwich mean
time. That's the second operations of comet photography
for today. And, the S063 comet photography using
ultraviolet airglow cameras was completed successfully a short
time ago by Bill Pogue. This is Skylab Control. We're coming
up on acquisition of signal about 2 minutes away at Ascension.
We'll keep the line live now for air-to-ground.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're through Ascension
for 6-1/2 minutes and we'll be dumping the tape recorder here.
CDR Okay, Hank.
CC Skylab, Houston. We uplinked a message
last night regarding attitude control with one CMG and what
it really is, is a map. How to step through the checklist -
G&C checklist to bring up the CSM to control the cluster. And
we are presently also working on a long teleprinter message
which would essentially be all of it on one piece of paper
and we're wondering if the map is sufficient or should we
continue to work on the big long teleprinter message that does
the whole thing?
PLT The map is sufficient, Hank.
CC Okay. We thank you for that. One other
thing, we've got the TV-120 scheduled tomorrow at - that's the
moth gypsy moth TV and the moth people are concerned that
the larvae may not live that long and request that if you
do some optional TV today that you might include at least
2 minutes of TV on the moth. And if you can't include the moth
on the TV today, we would still like for you to get a couple
of 35-millimeter pictures and moth people are still wanting
to do the moth TV tomorrow, whichever way it goes today.
SPT Okay, Hank. We'll try to do that. In
order to make a little better viewing. Can we take the
two vials out of the plastic? We've got - the top has got a
couple of pieces of tape there.
CC We'll check°
CC SPT, Houston. Is the bag that they're
in, is that sealed up?
SPT Hank, right now it's not, because we had
to, in order to loosen those tops we found we could not do that
safely without taking the bag open. So right now those things
have a little strip of tape which runs over the top, but still
allows some air to get in, along the top of each bottle. And,
SL-IV MC-I026/3
Time: 11:45 CST 32:17:45 GMT
12/17/73
I think that's plobably the best way for viewing it also is

we took it out of that plastic. It's in the plastic right
now, with the top sealed, but we did have to go in there
once in order to loosen up the top.
CC We don't see any problem then, Ed, and
since it's already open to go ahead and get them out so you
can get a better look.
SPT Okay.
CC (Garble) Houston. While we've got you
here, we have your phone call set up for Canary and Madrid
at 22:49.
SPT 22:49. Thanks very much. Which antenna
do we start with?
CC Okay. Start on the right and you'll be
switching to left.
SPT Thank you.
CC And, I got a couple of quickies here for
you. We're thinking of scheduling the PSS recharges
and top off a little more diff - a little differently,
to be a little more flexible. What we'd like to do is
schedule it in two segments, in other words we'd schedule
you 5 minutes to go install it in the recharge station and
start the pressurization and then a little later we would
schedule another 5 minutes to terminate. We wouldn't do
that all time; sometimes we'd schedule all of it together,
how do you feel about breaking it up like this?
CDR Hank, I think it'll just use a lot of
extra paper. The routine I did last night seemed to be
reasonable. That is I just charged them and left them on
there and came by every 5 or I0 or 15 minutes and looked at
them to see how they were doing.
CC Okay. So, we'll stick to the plan we're
using right now then. And, we're about 40 seconds from LOS.
We'll be seeing you again at Guam at 18:34 and I think Story
will be standing by there for more of your science conference.
CDR Okay, Hank. We'll see you then.
CDR We'll be ready for Story, Story.
CC Correction on that. It'll be Bob Parker.
passed beyond the range of the tracking antenna on Ascension.
As it's going over the African coast, still about 35-1/2 minutes
away from it's next acquisition at Guam. In this last pass
Science Pilot Ed Gibson was asked if he might take some tele-
vision photos of the gypsy moths that have hatched and he
SL-IV MC-I026/4
Time: 11:45 CST 32:17:45 GMT
12/17/73
indicated he did have an interest in doing that and there

was some discussion about how that might be performed.
Scientists here on the ground were a little concerned that the
gypsy moths might die before they were photographed. Of course
no provision has been made to feed them. There are approximately
i000 eggs on the space station and those were in sealed vials
for merely an experiment to determine whether or not they'll
hatch. There is no requirement to return them to Earth. This
is Skylab Control 59 minutes and 20 seconds after the
hour and about half an hour from our next acquisition.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I027/I
Time: 12:33 CST 32:18:33 GMT
12/17/73

and 15 seconds Greenwich mean time. The Skylab space station
is now just 54 seconds from acquisition of signal at the
Guam tracking antenna. Pass through Guam will last about 6
minutes. Present time Flight Director is still Charles
Lewis and the spacecraft communicator is Hank Hartsfield.
MCC Skylab, Houston. Over.
SPT Hello, Bill. Go ahead.
MCC (Garble) your friendly science man down
here. And Skylab, if you're ready I'll go ahead with your
general and corollary science briefing.
SPT Oh, it's Bob Parker. Yes.
MCC Okay.
SPT I'm sorry, Bob, go ahead.
MCC Yes. Let me start out with a little bit
of operational stuff. Today as you probably noticed if you
read the message we're adding Kohoutek to the science con-
ference, and Bill Snoddy, who's a fellow from Marshall who's
been sort of coordinating all the ATM and corollary Kohoutek
programs, will be talking to you later on in about an hour
or 2 about the Kohoutek program. So I won't be discussing that
very much today. Over.
SPT Okay_ Bob. Sounds good to us.
SPT (Garble) talking to him.
MCC Okay. On - let me start out with some
comments on M509. We've checked around down here, and We've
discovered that those checklist bracelets were inadvertently
returned after Skylab III. And since we can't resupply them to you
we are assuming that for starters anyway, that the lash up
you worked out the other day for the shirtsleeve mode was
satisfactory. In the meanwhile, before the suited mode we're
going to be working to see if we can put up something a little
bit better for you. Over. Okay; as far as data_s concerned
it all looks good and seems to correlate very well to simulator
so things on that 509 run seem fairly well. The 48 people
are very interested in your plate removal from the dinin_
room table and they are interested in how it's going and have
you started to do - to remove the second two plates. Over.
PLT No, Bob, we haven't. We'll get around to
that probably sometime today. And to go back on the cuff
checklist, this is the PLT, I just fixed a rubber band on it
with _ one of the checklists with tape, and I just can't get
all bent all out of joint on it. It's sort of simple to work
around. Don't worry about it.
MCC Okay.
SL-IV MC-I027/2
Time: 12:33 CST 32:18:33 GMT
12/17/73
PLT If you come up with a better idea, fine.

MC Okay. And we'll probably find you some-
thing a little bit better for you for the suited run. At least
We'll take a look and see what you're doing and see if it'll
work out in the suit for you. The 48 people as I was saying
about that plate removal, will be interested of course in
any sort of 516_type coverage of the removal of the other
plates. Over.
PLT Well, we'll probably do that today so
what do they want? They just want verbal comments or docu-
mentation?
MCC Photo documentation will be of interest
to them, also.
FLT (garble) give us a transporter number and
DAC and so forth.
CC Okay. We'll - we'll have it sent up to
you. As you're well aware the Sun's getting more active.
That of course means there the auroral activity can be
expected to increase, and we also have in work for you a pad
for handheld $063 photographs of any aurora you might happen to
see and I guess I just handed it up as a reminder that it
might be more worthwhile to start looking for those in the
next few days. Over.
SPT Okay, Bob. Thatts a good idea. As a
matter of fact I saw some good aurorae about two nights ago
up over the Great Lakes. I was up overlooking the trying
to see if [ could see the hometown of Buffalo and there was
beautiful aurora up north.
CC Very good. Yes, it happens that we're
over the fat part of the world at nighttime right now so
it works out pretty well. Let me give you a look ahead at
the week ahead. In the first place we're starting out
on the 18 Deltas for Kohoutek on day 34, and we delayed from
day 33 as we originally told you day 34 so we can get Alfa
Scoe (?) in the field at the same time which we'll try to
use for pointing alignment. On mission day 39 we have both
the solar eclipse, you may remember, and the comet and we'll
be looking for those things both on that day. Mission day 38,
as you probably recall, is the end of the corollary Kohoutek
observing. In the meanwhile, S183 with the carousel problems
t_ey've been having, will observe tomorrow on day 33 but
will not observe on day 36 hut we hope to have the carousel
i_i problem resolved and to get back in observations with
I-i, which, as you may recall, is the more sensitive film, in
the postperihelion period. But we're still working on that.
Understand that Hank's talked to you already today about the
rocket observations with 201 scheduled for tomorrow night, so
SL-IV MC-I027/3
Time: 12:33 CST 32:18:33 GMT
12/17/73
I won't talk about that. The passes this afternoon and to-
morrow mornin_ early if you're not aware are geothermal passes
for EREP, and the Earth itself will be dark. One last comment
before I go off, Day off right now, if you haven't heard,
we're planning for mission day 41. Your next day off will be
the day after EVA. Seemed to work out best. Over.
CDR Okay, Bob. And on the S183 we'll try to
on i-i if we have any more plates get stuck out we'll do
a better job of getting the serial number_ or the plate number.
MCC Okay. Well, we're working on a mal for
that to send up to you right now.
CDR Okay.
MC You guys have any questions? Anything
you'd like to send down?
CDR No, I guess not Bob.
MC Okay. Talk to you in a week. I'm just
about to go over the hill anyway. See you then.
CDR Okay. We'll see you.
MCC Thanks a lot.
CC Skylab, as we go over the hill our next
contact will be the Vanguard in at. And at that point we will
have Story's story.
passed out of range of the tracking antenna on the island of
Guam. Our next acquisition of signal will be 12 minutes after
the hour, or about 20 minutes from now, at Vanguard. During
this last pass Bob Parker, the Skylab Program scientist, con-
ducted a brief conference on corollary and general science
with the crew. Later in the day of course, we will also have
a conference on Kohoutek with Bill Snoddy, who is the project
scientist for Skylab's operations on the comet. Story Muss
grave is now come into Mission Control and he's preparing for
another science conference on medical area to come up shortly.
Bob Parker indicated that the checklist bracelets for in
509 which weren't found by the crew a few days ago when they
did their astronaut maneuvering unit run, have now been
discovered to have been returned by the last Skylab crew by
error, and for that reason this crew will have to make arrange-
ments as as they did this time taping artificial checklists
on their arms and doing the same thing essentially for tke
suited runs. M509 astronaut maneuvering unit was used by
Jerry Cart last week and the run was not quite completed.
The checklist bracelets were not found at that time and it
was not known where they'd been located. It now has been
determined they were inadvertently returned by the last crew.
SL-IV MC-I027/4
Time: 12:33 CST 32:18:33 GMT
12/17/73
Next day off for the crew Bob Parker indicated will not be
until mission day 41, which is after the EVA on December 26th,
the day after their Christmas EVA. This is Skylab Control.
It's now 19 minutes to our next acquisition of signal. 42
minutes and 50 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE.
SL-IV MC-I028/I
Time: 13:11 CST 32:19:11 GMT
12/17/73

Greenwich mean time. The Skylab space station is now to the
west of Chili over the South Pacific about 53 seconds from
acquisition of signal through the Vanguard tracking ship.
The pass through Vanguard will last about ii minutes. Space-
craft communicator is Hank Hartsfield, hut Dr. Story Musgrave,
astronaut interested in medical program is going to he here
for brief conference with the astronauts at this pass. We're
live now for air-to-ground at Vanguard,
MCC Skylab AOS through the Vanguard for II
minutes and it's time for Story's story.
CDR Go ahead with your story.
MCC Okay, startin_ out with MI31 that we didn't
get to last week. As you know Jerry has been seeing the OGI
with greater frequency than he did on the ground. Ed, you've
been seeing it about the same. To start with Bill was seeing
it slightly less frequently in flight than on the ground and
that's about all of it in terms of data. Now, we do have a question
for Bill on his last run. He only got about one or two corrects
on the lower levels and got four correct at level 14 and we did
get his comments on channel A, but we wonder if he could tell
us anything more about his last run?
PLT Well, I'll tell you. It's difficult.
I can't see it. At the low levels I think its a matter of
sensitivity threshold in my inner ear or whatever it is that
gives me that and as we go up into the higher levels I'm
conviced that one of my adaptations over years of flying to
high accelerations has be - is for me to block the input of
rotational rates or at least attempt to do it. (Static)
individual thing that's caused me to not see it, because I
can feel I'm rotating and I can hear the motor turning and
I flat do not get the illusion. All I get is some vertical
motions sometime in that bar.
MCC Okay, Bill. Fine. As far as the MS
goes, after the initial adaptation period of course_ you all
became virtually immune to motion sickness. You were the
first crew however to advance to 30 rpm and collating here
with SL-III, the crewmen who have the highest resistance on the
ground, appear to have less resistance to zero-g type of
vestibular stimulation in terms of producing motion sickness
and the like and that collates pretty good with our SL-III
findings.
SPT Story, is that true? Relative to us.
I was 30 on the ground and I'm 30 up here and I haven't had
any problems.
SL-IV MC-I028/2
Time: 13:11 CST 32:19:11 GMT
12117173
MCC Yeah, we're thinking though Ed, that you

and Jer induced the resistance down here in other words it
wasn't inborn, that you induced that by using the chair and the
swimming pool and that sort of thing.
SPT Yeah, that's true.
MCC Yeah, that is a point in the data that we
got to to look at, but we're separating it out in terms of
natural-type resistance, but of course, Bill may have attained
his through years in the airplanes. Itts hard to say.
SPT All right, thank you, Story.
MCC In terms of
CDR Story, I'm not convinced that this is all
motion sickness either. I think a lot of the head fullness
and all thatts got a whole lot to do with it and I don't think
that's motion at all.
SPT I think a lot could be digestive track
all the way down.
CDR I think we're overemphasing this motion
sickness a heck of a lot. I think we've got the blinders on and
we better look around a little bit more and look for some
other ideas, because a guy with the insensitivity to motion that
Bill's got, to have problems, I think there's something else
involved here. People better start looking around a little
more and get off this motion sickness kick.
PLT I'll support that i00 percent. I think
it's - this is not meant to be critical, but I think the
experimental design is aiming entirely in the wrong direction,
that they got horse blinders on and they got themselves pre-
programmed and they've just closed their minds to some rather
obvious avenues of approach. I don't - I Just disagree with
the discipline that's involved in this experiment design.
MCC You're thinking that there may be some other
inputs toward sensing motions, such as the cardiovascular
system and the like?
PLT I think that they ought - I do not know
Story, I don't know that much about it, but I think they have
preprogrammed themselves and all of their previous investigation
has been in this one area and has had limited degrees of suc -
very good success, I guess, in treating motion sickness, but
they got a new arena here a completely new ball game and darn
it, they're going to have stop - open their minds again and
start looking again. It's just - they can not adapt their
previous investigation to this problem.
MCC I think they probably are trying to look
at all those inputs, Bill.
SL-IV MC-I028/3
Time: 13:11 CST 32:19:11 GMT
12/17/73
CDR I think the relocation of the fluids in

your body, apparently there are some people I would guess
that are a whole lot more sensitive to that than others. And,
I would be inclined to think that's got a lot to do with this
sickness up here.
MCC Yeah, we tend to agree with that also.
PLT One other thing, Story. I think we're
really wasting a lot of good crew time here doing this motion
sensitivity.
MCC Okay. We got your input on that.
MCC Moving on to MI71, if you don't have any-
thing more on the MI31, and we've got a lot of good data on
there, you've probably plotted some of that yourself. All
of yon are at least up to the preflight baseline ranges in
terms of efficiency and physical fitness. Ed is starting
to improve beyond the physical condition that he had preflight.
The vital capacity data is excellent. We're seeing a decrease
of about 3 to 5 percent in vital capacity and some good
explanations for that are that you have a little more fluid
and blood in the chest. If you had say 160 or 200 cc of
blood in the chest I - this would not allow you to fill the
chest with air. That's a good explanation for the decrease
we're seeing.
SPT Sounds logical. Thank you, Story.
PLT Yeah_ 3 to 5 percent is almost in the
noise.
MCC Yeah, it is in the noise and so - it may
be in the resolution of the experiment_ but 160 to 200 ce
more fluid in the chest could explain it.
MCC Now, we like the (garble) PT very much
on Jet and Ed, especially when you approach your maximum
02 flow, we'd like to get some on Bill sometime. And also
something we missed on SL-III and it does require a little bit of
logistics and that is some mark I - type metabolic studies.
Now you have to get that off the upper deck up there, and also
there's a certain limited range of exercise you can do with
that thing. When you've got a mouthpiece and a hose during
the exercise_ but this would be useful stuff to know how much
work you do using the mark I.
SPT Story, let me ask you a little bit about
that. The mark I as well Clark's treadmill to me are ways
of keeping your muscle tone up as opposed to gettin_ any real
workload or cardiovascular system workout. And_ it really
is just about how fast you want to do those exercises and it
really is _ just varies from day-to-day and I'm wondering what
you can learn from that?
PLT Hey, Story.
SL-IV MC-1028/4
Time: 13:11 CST 32:19:11 GMT
].2/17/73
MCC Go ahead.
PLT I'd like to add something on that. What
I'd like to say is that I'm fully prepared to do anything you
want to as long as you give us sufficient time. Now, you
remember in setting up this stuff it may require more time
than actually doing it, so anytime if you're prepared to
maybe give us 3 hours that's asking an awful lot, but that
may be what it takes. I'll do anything you ask. It's just
that when you say, "Well, it only takes 15 minutes (static)
take an hour and a half just to do the set up to get the rig
all prepared. So, we'll cooperate any way we can here, but
you're going to have to cooperate with us and give us plenty
of time for setup and tear down.
MCC Okay. We'll do it.
MCC And, Ed, you got a good point there, as
far as the Mark I and other things go like that. You're not
involving enough muscles to approach anywhere near maximum
(garble). But - -
SPT Okay.
MCC - even using small muscle groups,
particularly in isometrics and that type of thing. You can get
the heart rate and blood pressure up to levels similar to a
third level of MI71. That's a different mechanism, of course.
SPT I would think the cardiovascular conditioning
we get doing those exercises is negligible, it's really just
muscle tone.
MCC That's true.
MCC Moving on
PLT It still feels good to do them.
MCC Okay. Moving on to the medical DTOs_ the
Pls and Dr. Thornton and they're very thankful for what you've
gotten them and I think we're really trying to get at some of
the mechanisms the physiological mechanisms causing some of
these fluid shifts and the like that we're seeing here. During
the early part of the mission, the first 3 to 5 days, we saw
a shift of fluid about 2 liters out of each crewman, out of
the legs.
SPT 2 liters, Story? That's quite a bit.
MCC Yeah, we saw about 2 liters, and the
other very interesting thing in terms of measurements, we didn't
see much change in the arms or the necks. But we did see a very
significant decrease in the chest circumference and the waist.
and what we're thinking is that you increased in height between
SL-IV MC-I028/5
Time: 13:11 CST 32:19:11 GMT
].2/17/73
an inch and 2 inches. And, that that's what caused these

decreases in the chest and the abdominal girth.
PLT But, Story, we did do an M487 height
measurement and those didn't change (static)
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I029/I
Time: 13:22 CST 32:19:22 GMT
12/17/73
MCC Moving on?

CDR Sure feels good to do them.
MCC Okay, moving on to the medical DTOs, the
Pls and Dr. Thornton, and they are very thankful for what
you've gotten them. And I think we're really trying to get
at some of the mechanisms, the physiological mechanisms causing
some of these fluid shifts and the like that we're seeing here.
During the early part of the mission_ the first 3 to 5 days,
we saw a shift of fluid about 2 liters out of each crewman
out of the legs.
SPT 2 liters, Story? Thatts quite a bit.
MCC Yeah, we saw about 2 liters. And the other
very interesting things in terms of measurements, we didn't
see much change in the arms or the necks_ but we did see a very
significant decrease in the chest circumfernce and the waist.
And what we're thinking is that you increased in height between
an inch and 2 inches_ and that's what caused these decreases
in the chest and the abdominal girth.
PLT But Storyp we did those M487 height
measurements_ and those didn't change. Or did they? Have
you correlated them?
MCC Yes, and the data I have down here shows
that the range of increase in height was from 3/4 to 1-3/4 inches.
PLT We're walking tall, huh?
MCC That's right_ and there's good reason for
that in that the disk, the intervertebral (?) disks, without any
gravity forcing them together_ that they can take up a lot
more water and expand it also. And not having to use the anti-
gravity muscles of the back_ those things tend to compress
these disks also. So there is good rationale for thinking
that you would grow in height, and we think you have.
SPT Let's hope we can keep it when we get back
to i g.
MCC Okay. And l_ve got 30 seconds to LOS here.
Hank_s got a couple of things for you r and we'll be picking
up Bill Lenoir over Ascension with the handheld.
SPT Thanks very muchp Story, appreciate it.
MCC SPT, Houston. NOAA just reported that
prominence 49 is out to 2/10 of a radii (sic) now and it's
feeding back on itself. And if you like, we'd like to do shop-
ping list item i at Sun center.
SPT I'm on my way.
45 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station has passed
out of the tracking antenna's range at Vanguard. Our next
acquisition is about a minute and 40 seconds away at Ascension.
Dr. Story Musgrave just completed conducting the medical conference
SL-IV MC-I029/2
Time: 13:22 CST 32:19:22 GMT
12/17/73
with the members of the crew, and there were a number of things
indicated by the crew. One of the things pointed out was
that Commander and Pilot both consider something other then
motion sickness is involved with the early sickness that the
crew experienced, that Bill Pogue specifically experienced.
That comment from both Commander and Pilot was responded
to by Dr. Bill Thornton, sitting back here in Mission Control
with thumbs up, and he said "Amen" to that. Also Story
Musgrave pointed out that a shift in fluid amounting to about
2 liters from each crew member's lower body had been experienced
early in the mission and also that the crew member increased in
height from about 3/4ths to about l-3/4ths inches due to the
expansion in the disks between the sol the pads between the
solar (sic) disks. That correction, the pads between the spinal
disks. Solar activity also reported right at the end of that
pass by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
They indicated that filament 49, which is in the lower right-
hand edge of the Sun on the western limb, has moved out to about
2/10 of a solar radius, that's a distance of about 80,000
miles, and is now returning on its own to the solar disk.
That's a point for their observation if they get to the ATM.
There're just about 10 minutes left in their daytime pass, only
a few minutes left until they reach the 400,000-foot level
at which solar data is lost to some degree. We*re coming up
on acquisition. We'll bring the line up for Bill Lenoir.
MCC - - Houston with the visual observations
conference. Over.
SPT Hello_ Bill, we're waiting for you. Go
ahead.
MCC Okay, good. As you may remember, we had the
team meeting last Friday, and we got a lot of good information
out of that and I'll try to pass you some of it now. We will
be sending you an update frequently. And I'm not sure exactly
what I mean. We'll probably start in about 2 days section by
section in the book so that we don't overwhelm you to begin with as
to some of the important facts that came out of the team meeting.
The most prevalent feeling was one that we're really astonished
by the amount of good work, and the - especially the good obser-
vations that we're getting. The detail, things such as the colors,
textures, things of this nature, we're very happy with that.
And we'll be doing more things trying to get deeper into that
actually. The things that we're asking for frequently now
you'll see, in the next few days, we'll be emphasising observations
and not doing so many photographs, especially of areas that
we have photographs of. We'll be trying to concentrate on
observations to detect the time changes that we can hopefully see
and maybe remember from the last time that we looked at it. Make
SL-IV MC-I029/3
Time: 13:22 CST 32:19:22 GMT
12/17/73
complete observations, as complete as you can, factual obser=

vations. By that I mean what you see, and then follow that
with your interpretation as to what you think it means. One
other thing we will be doing when the Sun angle gets us back
over the continental US is we're going to try to pick up a site
about which we know considerably and have this as sort of
a test case to test certain things to have you look for
that we feel are difficult to find_ and see how we do on this.
And let me break here a minute and let you get some thoughts
in before I go meandering on here.
SPT On that latter point, Bill, I think we
need to know precisely what we're looking for and have the
time to get lined up for it. It's kind of tough to do this
efficiently (garble) i0 minutes of preparation. I think you
need maybe 15, 20 or so in order to get your maps out and
know exactly what you're coming up on and have everything
reviewed in your mind because, moving at 4 miles a second, you
don't get too much time to look at it.
MCC Right. We under _ -
CDR And Bill, another problem that comes
to mind, too, is the fact that every time we're passing over the
U.S. in daylight we're usually on an EREP pass. So we're not
getting much opportunity to look out the window.
MCC That may be true, and we'll have to
pick a different area. We do intend to write as detailed a
pad several days beforehand as we can explaining exactly
what we're looking for, giving you time to digest it and even
talk with us about it before we go and do it. The - we're
at the period now where the Sun angle is creeping south at
the sunrise terminator and north at the sunset terminator, so
that we're moving toward ascending tracks in the north and
in several weeks here we will actually have the Sun in the United
States. One suggestion that I recommend especially on target
of opportunity type sites, by that I mean things like the weather
phenomenon, many of the ocean phenomenon and things that we just
cannot schedule is to reread those sections in the book when
you get a chance just to emphasise some of the points that are
harder to come by. We've gotten a lot of good information
on, some detailed descriptions of things of this nature, but
frequently we'll have procedures that are 7, 8, and 9 steps
long. And some of the later ones involve comparisons. I
think it would be beneficial to go back and reread them. I
don't want to take time now to get specific there, but when you
get a chance I would strongly recommend doing that. Some of the
things that we're moving towards now, in geology now for instance
in New Zealand, we'll be scheduling area 107 New Zealand again.
SL-IV MC-I029/4
Time: 13:22 CST 32:19:22 GMT
12/17/73
And we will be stressing observations, What we would like

to do is to get many detailed observations and your detailed
description of the fault as you see it, what the fault looks
like, trying to see the fault zone itself, and also any cross
fault - the geology bands, as you mentioned once in New Zealand.
So we will be emphasising observations, not photographs. The
description that you gave us on the volcanoes, in particular
Sakurazima and the Galapagos Islands were excellent. And
the volcanologist at the team meetings were just beside themselves
with good words about the good work that you are doing.
SPT Bill, I'm sorry we missed our opportunity
to see the Galapagos last night. It was probably a real good
opportunity, but it just got upstaged by the flare.
MCC Roger. We understand that. Actually
at dark we're not too sure what you see, we're more interested
in if you see anything on the first time around on that. We'll
be repeating that so don't let that get you worried here. We've
got so much stuff here that we expect to miss a little bit here
and there. On the vegetation, we're going to again emphasize
observations. We will be repeating areas such as the pampa
more frequently than I indicated last week. We'll be looking
for things on the order of 5, I0, and 20 day variations. Again
mainly on observations, not photographs so that when you see
something like that try to make a mental note of it and hang
on to it. I realize that's more difficult than it sounds,
but we will be looking at the data and trying to get at
how much of these types of variations so we will be
able to determine from an observations point of view. Okay,
and then an area that we have done a lot of work and
intend to do a lot more work_ the Falkland Current area.
Again, we want to emphasize observations and in particular
changes that you detect from orbit to orbit, day to day,
colors, textures, shape, things of this nature. One important
point here is that in the southern hemisphere the current
situation in the makeup is not very well understood at all.
And we want to try to concentrate here and also the area
east of New Zealand where you have seen interesting features.
And try to understand this very well and do as complete a
job as we can. We will also be uplinking at some time within
the next week or so a new site which represents an Antarctic,
a circum Antarctic current region to look for. It's actually
south of your track all the time that perhaps you will
be able to see something from where you are. On the Falkland
Current we'll be asking for things such as can you detect the
edge of the current by subtle color differentiations and surface
texture differences? Can you distinguish that from the plankton
SL-IV MC-I029/5
Time: 13:22 CST 32:19:22 GMT
12/17/73
upwellings and things of this nature. On the subject of plankton

whenever you have IR film that is available we strongly would
like IR film of plankton. And this will show up very clearly
if indeed it is plankton as a pink on the infrared. We've
got another 3 minutes here until LOS, and I've got about 30 minutes
worth of things to talk about here, but let me give you a chance
here to break in again. Over.
SPT Bill, we'll try and put some questions on
the recorder. Why don't you go ahead and give us the information.
MCC Okay. Getting to the area of the atmosphere,
the cloud streaks and the Von Karman eddies, sites 08 and 09,
we would be most interested in those over land. At this point
we feel that we've got good water coverage on those. We're
most interested in those over land and in particular on the
cloud streaks. How they might feed into cumulonimbus systems,
towering cu and to what extent this represents moisture feeding
into the towering cells. Same thing with Von Karman eddies. We
have frequently have seen them over the water. We're most in-
terested in whether or not we can find them over land and to
what extent. Again we'll be - -
SPT We've seen a lot of cloud streaks over
South America in the northern area around Brazil, but that was
about 2 weeks ago and it's dark there now.
MCC Right. I remember those and we're most in-
terested -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1030/I
Time: 13:33 CST 32:19:33 GMT
12/17/73
MCC - (Garble) the cloud streets. How they might

feed into cumulunimbus systems. Towering cu and to what extent
this represents moisture feeding into the towering cells. The
same thing Von Karman eddies. We have frequently seen them over
the water. We're most interested in whether or not we can find
them over land and to what extent. Again
SPT We've seen a lot of cloud streets over
South America in the northern area around Brazil, but that was
about two weeks ago and it's dark there now.
MCC Rigkt. And I remember_ those and we're
most interested when you see those again try to relate them
any cumulus that you see in the vicinity.
SPT Okay.
MCC And we'll be getting up with more details on
that. In the African area which is beginning to become available
now in the ascending part of the orbit, the Mali area and
Okovanggo Swamp in Botswanan, have many things in common, in
particular it is felt that Botswana probably represents a later
stage in development of an area much like Mall is now. What
we're interested in doing, of course, is looking at the two
areas, comparing them, and contrasting them, seeing if indeed
Mali is progressing toward the Okovanggo Swamp type phenomenon
and features and to what extent we can see where they have com-
mon features and where they do not. So we'll be getting more
information up to you on that. Again, across the board wind is
a very important parameter. You've done very good work on that
so far, given the observability of it from space with smoke plumes
and things of this nature. We do want to emphasize that it is
very important and to continue with that. We have 56 seconds
now till LOS. Canaries are next in a minute and a half and
Bill Snoddy will be talking Kohoutek to you there. Also,
while I'm talking Africa, you'll note that we will beginning
to - we are beginning to move up into the area where we will be
seeing the dunes. Let me throw one last point in there. You
might like to look for is E1 Nino which is a warm current that
annually comes down the west coast of South America. It's a
great fish killer, and we would be interested in noting any
effects of that that you can see from space. So as you come over
the west coast of South America every now and then you may just
look out. Again, we're primarily interested in observation.
Okay. 1 guess that's about all I'm going to try to squeeze in
here and I'ii talk to you next week, and any comments you have
send them down. We do copy them and we try to respond. Over.
SPT Bill, you gotten lots of good ideas here, I'm
wondering if you could send a little checklist up on teleprinter
like the E1 Nino.
MCC Okay. We sure will. We'll be sending these
up two or three at a time here over the next several days.
SL-IV MCI030/2
Time: 13:33 CST 32:19:33 GMT
12/17/73
PAO Skylab Control. We've gone loss of signal

but we're just about to be reacquired. Bill Snoddy is now
plugging in at the console next to the flight director and is
ready for the Kohoutek briefing.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're through Canary,
Madrid for 7 minutes. And for info we've got the S063 pad on
board and a (garble) for the S054, and Bill Snoddy's ready to
go with the Kohoutek briefing.
MCC Good afternoon, gentlemen. Want to bring
you up to date on the status of the comet as seen from the
ground and also if we have time comment a little bit on the
observing program you're carrying out up there. First of all
we sent you up the visual magnitudes the other day. These are
based on a wide scatter in visual observations. We did (garble)
to them. And the (garble), you'll notice, all slightly
below the bottom curve if you've got it out that you got in
your package up there. Smithsonian says that these visual
observations correspond to photographic magnitude pretty well
in agreement with your bottom curve and they"re standing by their
prediction of a maximum magnitude of around minus 4. The scat-
ter in visual observations points out the importance of the
$233 observations you're making. We hope they will have a good
continuous record of the growth and brightness. Also, I might
point out that both tails of the comet are there. You can't
see them because they both lie in a plane that's along you're
line of sight. And therefore the white tail is masking the
blue gas tail. With the filters you have on board, though,
the sensors are picking up the different tails. Also, I might
point out that the comet is rapidly becoming unobservable from
the ground, in fact we just about lost it here. As you can
probably guess there continues to be watch for its scientific
and public interest in the comet. This makes us all the more
interested in any kind of observations you might make on it.
In addition to the tail length information and so forth being
given us which is great, you might also be on the lookout for
any changes in in noticable structure that might exist, any
variations in brightness, there's some predictons that the
nucleus will become increasingly bright relative to the Coma
and so you might be on the lookout for a bright spot in the
Coma. Also be on the alert for any temporal changes in bright,
ness or structure. It's always possible the thing could split or
flare become maybe a i000 times brighter in a matter of a day
or two. If you were to detect any changes like this occurring
we_d probably would want to to try to change our observing pro-
gram to get better data on that sort of thing.
SL-IV MCI030/3
Time: 13:33 CST 32:19:33 GMT
12/17/73
SPT Okay_ Bill. We'll try to do that.

MCC Okay. Great. Also, I might mention
that there's been some rather interesting observations made.
For the first time our radio emission was detected from
comets, and in fact the molecule methyl cyanamide was detected.
This is a rather exotic molecule and is more indicative of
the kind of stuff that exists in interstellar space. And
this makes the whle operation that much more interesting. Also,
OH was detected for the first time in any of our missions since
183 and that was (garble) you're looking for OH in the spatial
and temporal distribution. We now know it's there and so we
hope we're getting good data over the instruments there.
H_alpha was also detected for the first time in a comet. We
hope this means that there's a good Lyman-alpha emission which
is needed you know for our JOP 18 pointing. Let me wind up by
saying that we appreciate the good work you've been doing with
our synoptic observations. You know I believe that y'all did
some measurements in white light as we passed the orbital plane
on about mission day 24. Ground based stations are pretty well
wiped out by full moon plus the twilight. We're hoping that
your observations will show up some debris in the plane. The
occulatation you did on Pi Scorpio last night was the first time
such an occulatation has bee done in UV and it was the only
chance we have on Skylab so we're real glad that went off okay.
We're going to be starting our JOP 18s on mission day 34. This
day was particularly picked because Antares will also be in the
field of view and this will give us a chance to do some photo
checks on our pointing procedures. Messages will be sent up to
you tonight discussing exactly what we do want to do and Bill
Lenoir will be talking with you about this some more tomorrow.
Are there any questions you have on what - on the comet?
SPT Billp you mentioned one particular molecule
before OH. What was the first one you mentioned?
MCC Methyl cyanamlde. That's a - the - it's
CH3CN is the formula for it and it's the first time I guess
you might say that a parent molecule has been observed and
it's more exotic than - it's more complicated than a lot of
people had thought you would find in a comet. So this is a very
interestlnK development.
SPT Any speculation then on this source of
Kohoutek?
MCC I'm sorry. Say again?
SPT Any speculation then on the source or
origin of Kohoutek?
SL-IV MCI030/4
Time: 13:33 CST 32:19:33 GMT
12/17/73
MCC There haven't heard too much yet. Itts

still kind of early_ but it makes it look llke that perhaps the
thing was formed further out in the solar system, I would imagine,
then some theories would have it. Perhaps out on the outer fringes
instead of having been formed in the - inner part of the
solar system and somehow moved out into that area. This would
appear to me to indicate that the comet was perhaps formed out
there.
SPY Okay. Thank you.
CDR Bill_ you may have heard me say a little
earlier today that it doesn't look llke we have many more days
of observation of Kohoutek left out of the (garble) window
number 3. We have a (garble) that's beginning to move into
occultation.
MCC Rog. It's - there's a possibility the orbital
path of the comet is going to perhaps bring its (garble) to that
point and then back out back into the view again. So it may
not continue in the direction that it's going. But we
appreciate your inputs as it develops.
CDR Okay. I hope you're right.
MCC We_ve got our fingers crossed.
PLT Bill_ a question on T025 equipment.
MCC Okay.
PLT You know we had problems on the first EVA.
Do we plan to use that on the EVA next week, and if so I
need some maintenance suggestions on how to make that exposure
setting knob, how to fix that thing so it'll work outside?
MCC Yes. We're working on that. We do expect
to use that and you can believe it's being worked very thoroughly
down here. It looks like there should be no problem we hope.
PLT Thank you.
CC Skylab, Houston. One quickie here. A while
ago I told you the S063 pad, I should have said S0233 pad. That's
for the CDR coming up here shortly.
CDR Okay.
CC We're about 20 seconds from LOS. We'll see
you at Guam at 09, and we plan to dump the recorder there.
SPT Okay, Hank. And I got the S054 mal and I'll
put something on tape on it next few minutes. Also what promin-
ence - was that you said that blew off the location?
CC Roger. It was 49, I think it should have
been around ii0.
passing south of Italy and out of range of the tracking antenna
at Madrid. That concludes our science conferences today. Bill
Snoddy of the Marshal Space Flight Center, who is the probJect
scientist on Skylab is
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI031/I
Time: 13:45 CST, 32:19:45 GMT
12/17/73
PAO tracking antenna at Madrid. That

concludes our science conferences today. Bill Snoddy of the
Marshall Space Flight Center who is the Project Scientist on
Skylab's Kohoutek operations was doing that briefing.
24-1/2 minutes away from our next acquisition of signal at
Guam. Just previous to this briefing, Bill Lenoir spoke
with the crew on handheld photography and indicated that in
the future, emphasis will be placed on observations more
than photography. That is of course, an important part of
the visual observations program. Meeting was held Friday
with investigators who originally were the instructors for
the Skylab crew. 20 hours of lectures given to the crew
on various observations from space. That meeting on
Friday, indicated that they were quite satisfied with the
results so far and with the excellent discussion of volcanoes
and other things that had been reported by the crew. A
U.S. test site is being designed for use of the crew in
testing their visual acuity to determine what can be seen
and what cannot be seen from space and that test site has
not yet been entirely decided upon. But there will be a
final decision made on that and exact details of what
should be observed in that area. At that time, detailed
pads will be sent up to the crew in advance. Also, a
Bill Lenoir indicated that the visual observations staff
are interested in doing some more work on the volcanoes
including those in Galapagos after some very excellent
photos were taken there and also at Sakurazima in Japan.
Bill Lenoir also indicated a strong request for infrared
photography of plankton blooms when that's available.
Skylab crew has no infrared film available specifically for
visual observations. However, they are permitted to use
remaining infrared film after medical photography has been
taken. They have, I believe, done that in the past and
they will probably attempt to make some infrared photos of
plankton during the next few days. Also, some additional
studies of the African area of Mali and also in Botswana.
Some scientists now have the view that the Okovanggo Swamp
in Botswana, may be due to may be a later stage of the
same kind of conditions that are now affecting Mali. The
crew was also asked to look for a fish killing current on the
west coast of South America. Bill Snoddy talked about the
maximum magnitude of the comet Kohoutek. It's still expected
to be about minus 4 - that's the prediction that scientists
have with stuck with now for a good many months. Although
the comet originally appeared to be running a little bit
below that scale, it did brighten very substantially in the
last few days. It's now about 43,000,000 miles from the
Sun and becoming increasingly bright. The minus 4 magnitude
SL-IV MCI031/2
Time: 13:45 CST, 32:19:45 GMT
12/17/73
would make it several times - approximately 25 times as

bright as Halley's Comet on its last passage. Also Bill
Shoddy pointed out something discovered many days ago by
radio astronomy that is that methyl cyanide is - has been
detected in the comet. That's a complex molecule consisting
of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen. First time any molecule
that complex has ever been discovered in a comet and also
the first time any radio emission has ever been detected
from a comet. Last night, the Skylab crew photographed the
comet and when it was occulting a star by the name of Pi
Scorpio in the constellation of Scorpius, that occultation
was the first time that a star light has ever been blocked
out and photographed as the comet passed through it and
should give some indications in addition of the absorption
spectra - that is to say the pattern of comet has in
absorbing light energy from a star. Bill Snoddy was asked
about what the indication of more complex molecule may mean.
The molecule is associated with inner galactic space rather
than inner solar system spaces. So he said that it may
perhaps indicate that the comet was formed further out at
a greater distance from the Sun than previously been
suspected. That, of course, is mere speculation at this
t_me. Not much chance has been had to look at thorough data
on the comet. Of course, it has not yet reached its maximum
magnitude and its maximum opportunity for gathering data.
Skylab data, for the most part is being retained on the space
station in film and will be returned later in the mission.
That, of course, means that most of the comet studies will
not be substantially benefited until after February 8th when
the crew is due to return. Bill Snoddy also indicated that
although it appears now that the comet is moving into a
point - to point in the window of the space station where it
can't been seen, the relation of the comet to the Earth
may be modified in the next few days in such a way that it
will return back to better viewing position for the crew. It's
of course, moving along its orbit toward the Sun, it'll
reach the Sun just ii days from today. About a distance of
13.5 million miles above the surface and that will its point
of perihelion. The crew will be photographing it on a space
walk on the 25th and are expected to photograph it again on
the 29th on a second space walk. Skylab crew tonight will
run an Earth resources survey across the north Atlantic and
Europe that will mix the more traditional investigations of
sea state and ocean weather with a survey of known sources of
geothermal energy from within the Earth. Weather and sea
state data gathering with the S193 radiometer/scatterometer/
altimeter, and the 192 multispectral scanner, will span the
north Atlantic from the U.S. east coast to the Bay of Biscay
SL-IV MCI031/3
Time: 13:45 CST, 32:19:45 GMT
12/17/73
off France's west coast. All the space station's remote

sensors will be directed toward geothermal energy sources
in Italy_ as Skylab makes a night time transient down the
Italian peninsula. None of the photographic Earth resources
survey instruments will be used in today's pass. Only
electronic scanners will be in use. The sea state studies
across the north Atlantic during the night are major interest
to Joseph T. McGooghan (?) of the NASA Wallops stations in
Virginia. McGoohan is especially concerned with evaluating
the S193 performance as it scans a variety of sea states
and wave conditions. Just before crossing the French coast
of St. Nazaire, Skylab's remote sensing instruments will
scan weather systems and weather producing cloud formations
in the Bay of Biscay. These weather investigations are for
Dr. Villevieille of the Bureau of Space Weather Studies in
Paris. That's the Bureau d'Etudes Meteorologic Spatiales.
As Skylab crosses the French coast, the sensors will gather
data on geologic alignments and structural characteristics
such as faults and (garble) in the region of southern
France leading up to the Alps. The return data will go to
Jacques Guillemot of the Institute of Petroleum of France
for integration into data from other sources. Weather
systems, characteristic of the French alpine region will be
scanned by the space station's sensors for Dr. Villevieille
who also was interested in the Bay of Biscay weather
conditions. Snow covered in northern Italy and its
relationship to (garble) and other sources of geothermal
energy is a task site for today's Earth resources survey.
Two Principal Investigators will receive data from this
region. They are Professor Roberto Cassinis of Geolab in
Milan and Dr. Bodechtel of the University of Munich Institute
for General and Related Geology and Minerology. Dr. Bodechtel
is concerned with geologic mapping of the Tuscan Apennire
region of Italy and Professor Cassinls with volcanic
activity in his homeland. As Skylab's groundtrack briefly
parallels the western Italian coastline, data will be
gathered on the circulation and transport of sediment and
the behavior of outflow from rivers and streams emptying
into Tyrrhenian Sea near the Island of Elba. These data
will go to Attilio Moretti of the Geological Survey of Italy
in Rome. Tapping Mother Natu - Mother Nature's boiler deep
below the surface for an energy source is by no means a new
idea, Skylab will pass over geothermal field of Ledernal -
Larderello, Italyp southwest of Florence that has been
exploited for the past 60 years. Skylab's remote sensors
will record surface temperature differentials as a means
of calibrating the data for locating geothermal energy
resources in other parts of the world. The Larderello
SL-IV MCI031/4
Time: 13:45 CST, 32:19:45 GMT
12117173
geothermal field seems to be completely in harmony with the

surrounding countryside and its people, for example the
field's wells, pipelines and power plants share the land
with the vineyards and orchards, and farms. A similar
situation of coexistence with the surroundings is the
only active geothermal field in the United States. The
Geysers, in northern California, which tap dry steam to
produce one kilowatt hour for 20 pounds of steam, before
development of The Geysers power production, the area was
wilderness, much of which was devoted to deer foraging by
huntinK clubs. After development the same wilderness use
is maintained with the addition of grazing lands for
cattle. This is Skylab Control we're 15-1/2 minutes from
our next acquisition of signal, at 54 minutes after the
hour.
END OF TAPE
BL-IV MC-I032/I
Time: 14:08 CST 32:20:08 GMT
12/17/73
PAO Skylah Control at 20 hours 8 minutes and

40 seconds Greenwich mean time. We're now coming within range
of the tracking antenna on Guam. We'll bring the line up live
for air-to-ground at Guam. The pass will have Spacecraft
Communicator Hank Hartsfield back on the console.
CC $kylah_ Houston. We're over Guam for
9_i/2 minutes and we'll he dumping the recorder here.
CC PLT, Houston. Are you free to answer
a question?
PLT Yes sir, go.
CC Okay. We were wondering how you'd feel
about operating as the observer on MO - M509 with a hot mike
instead of PTT, so we could hear the thruster sound through-
out. It would help the PI to analyze the film he has and
his data a little better if he knew exactly when the thrusters
were firing.
PLT Sounds like an excellent suggestion. I
thought of it, but I didn't want to do it because the checklist
didn't call for it.
CC Okay_ well_ with the earplugs, the only
problem you'd have to worry about is the noise feeding back
you know into the mike there and bothering you, but you got
a feel for that running - while you were PTT. Do you think it
would bother you?
PLT I think I can turn the volume down a little
bit.
CC Okay_ then we will get you a change up
to doit that way, then, if it's okay with you.
PLT Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Hank,
I have one for you.
CC Go ahead.
PLT S063 is still set up and I'm not questioning
it but, I just thought I'd mention it. Since it was a day
off and you're trying to make it easier, I would if we're
going to remove that in the morning, I would rather do it
today. If we got more observations tomorrow, fine, leave it
the way it is.
CC Okay. I'ii take a quick look.
CC What we have scheduled right now, Bill,
is a stow 2 for in the morning and leaving the AMS there
for an S183 prep that's right behind it.
PLT Okay. It'd be all right with me to de that
today to relax the time line in the morning since apparently
that's going to be fairly tight.
CC PLT, Houston. Are you just going to do
SL-IV MC-I032/2
.Time: 14:08 CST 32:20:08 GMT
12/17/73
the 63 stow or are you going to try to do the 183 prep also?
PLT I'll do both, if it's okay with you. Now,
I'm not trying to tell you how to do it, but, I'm just saying
that since you'd already mentioned it's going to be sort of
crowded tomorrow, I - we're going to have you know some spare
time here and it isn't all that much now, but it does become
sort of a problem if you're really against the time line problem.
CC Okay. We'll see if I can get an answer
to that.
PLT Thank you.
CC Skylab, Houston. Whenever it's convenient
we'd like to get the MPC ROLL to INHIBIT at the ATM.
PLT That's in work.
SPT Hank, I show on the time line here that
I was going to be working the flare wait and I was going to
go Sun center and take a look at the prominence and see whether
there was any effect of that blowing off. Is there something
that you folks want to carry on unattended or what's your
plans?
CC I'ii check it.
CC And, while we're checking that PLT, if
you're going to do a stow followed by the prep_ wetll do an
S063 stow 2 and a 183 prep 3, if you're just going to stow
ittll be a stow 3.
PLT Roger. I'll do a 63 stow 2 and a 183
prep 3.
CC And, PLT, one other thing you might, if
you got a little free time, you might look at. When we read
the transcript from the ERBP_ we noticed that two of the meter
readings were excessively higk_ and those were Alfa 2 and
Charlie 4, and for example Alfa 2 read 92 percent, it should
have read 52 percent and Charlie 4, 98, when it should have
been between 65 and 75. And one thing that might account for
that would be if the align switch down at the cooler door
station was left in the align position, so if you get a chance,
wouldn't mind you removing the 192 cover and checking the
position of that align switch_ it should be in off.
PLT Okay, Hank. Thank you. Itll do it and
I thought I did that, but I_Ii check it again.
CC And, SPT, Houston. We have nothing planned
unattended, you can continue your flare wait, if you like.
SPT Okay. l_m Sun center right now, do they -
do they like a standard, I can go ahead and give them that.
That's for S052.
CC Okay, we'll check.
SL-IV MC-I032/3
Time: 14:08 CST 32:20:08 GMT
12/17/73
CC Okay, Ed. We'll take the standard.

SPT Okay, Hank.
LOS. We'll see you at Vanguard at 50 and that's about
SPT Okay, Hank, and my response to the S054
(garble) mal's on tape, which you're just dumping right now. If
they want they can pick it up.
CC If you got some quick words, go ahead.
SPT I just show the positioning of - we're
playing out where the thing is positioned. Essentially it's
bottom 40 percent or so is - is not there, it looks as though
the whole image is just shifted up to the top of the display.
CC Roger; we copy.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is now out of
acquisition at Guam. Our next acquisition 29 minutes away
will be at Vanguard. This is Skylab Control at 21 minutes
after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I033/I
Time: 14:49 CST 32:20:49 GMT
12/17/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 20 hours 48 minutes

Greenwich mean time. 50 seconds away from acquisition through
Vanguard on this the last pass that Vanguard will be up for
today. Starting the 3137th revolution. Kind of a light day
for the crew today, they day off, it says here. We'll stand
by for air-to,ground.
CC Skylab, Houston through Vanguard for
9 minutes.
SPT Houston, SPT.
CC Go ahead.
SPT Yeah, Hank, at the conclusion of the
standard, I took a look at the corona and could not see a
real significant change, although it certainly was some out
there on the west limb. The one large streamer which I
reported this morning having fairly sharply defined edges
maybe a lO-degree or so across was fairly diffusely defined
and it looked a little bit stronger, but I could not see any
lines of running across the, say, tangential, or anything
reflecting a transient as we talked about it. But there was
some changes. I'ii try to get another shopping list item i
in at the end of this orbit.
CC Roger; we copy.
CC Skylab, Houston for the CDR. For
information MMP showed TACS usage if we inhibit the momentum
dump for this S 233 so we will not inhibit. The dump will
be in progress, however, we still would like you to take the
pictures.
CDR Roger, Hank. I just got out of the
shower. What time is that?
CC I think it's about 45 minutes from now.
Let me make real sure here. It comes at 21:34, Jer, that's
about 50 minutes.
CDR Okay_ I'ii be ready.
CC Make that 40 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're about 45 seconds
from LOS. We'll see you at Canaries at i0, and that's about
ii minutes from now.
PAO We've had loss of signal through Vanguard.
Next acquisition is at the Canary Island tracking station
in i0 minutes. At 20 hours 59 minutes 55 seconds Zulu time
this is Skylah Control.
END OF rAPE
SL-IV MCI034/I
TIME: 15:08 CST, 32:21:08 GMT
12/17/73

9 minutes Greenwich mean time. Space station is approaching
the Canary Island tracking site and we'll stand by for
communication to crew,
CC Skylab, Houston through Canary and Madrid
for 14 minutes.
CC PLT, Houston just for info, you really

you really bailed us out there on that Flight Plan by getting
that stow and prep done for us, we had to fudge a little
of that time that you got rid of there and - for C&D trouble-
shooting when we got in a squeeze.
PLT Rog, 63 is stowed in 183 (garble) position.
CC Good work, thank you.
PLT Hank, PLT here.
CC Go ahead.
PLT So we keep each other honest, 183 prep
3's complete with the exception of the installation of the
carrousel in the DAC. Of course I didn't have any information
on that.
CC Roger, Bill that's scheduled for in the
morning.
PLT Beautiful, thank you.
CC Skylab, Houston we're 1 minute to LOS,
we'll see you at Honeysuckle at 58 with a data recorder
dump. That's 35 minutes from now.
CDR Hank, you better quickly slip me the data
on the Kohoutek $233 event; I don't have the pad.
CC Okay, the pad should be on board there,
Jer .
CDR Well, it must have got lost or something.

Give me a rise time real quick.
CC That was one we shipped up about a hour
ago, Jer, it should have been on board along with that S054
mal.
CDR Well, the fact is I don't have it, have

you got a time you can give me real quick.
CC Time of rise, 21:39:17.
CDR 21:39:17, how about the first break.
CC 21:43.
PA0 Now the Skylab space station has moved
out of range of Madrid, we'll next acquire the space
station in half an hour through the Honeysuckle, Australia
tracking site. We have scheduled a change-of-shift briefing
at 4:15 p.m. central standard time in Building i, the news
center room 135. The off-going Flight Director Charles Lewis
will participate as will Doctor George G. Armstrong Jr. who
is off-going Flight Surgeon and Doctor Gerald L. Homick who is
the principal coordinating scientist on the MI31 Human Vestibular
SL-IV MCI034/2
TIME: 15:08 CST, 32:21:08 GMT
12/17/73
experiment. Once again that change-of-shift briefing is

scheduled for 4:15 p.m. central standard time in Building i,
room 135. At 21 hours, 26-1/2 minutes Greenwich mean time,
this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I035/I
Time: 15:57 CST 32:21:57 GMT
12/17/73

mlnutes Greenwich mean time. The space station is coming
into range of Honeysuckle tracking site on the east coat of
Australia. And we expect to acquire it in about a half a
minute on this, the 3,137th revolution.
CC Skylab, Houston, through Honeysuckle
for 7 minutes.
CC PLT, Houston. Did you ever have a chance
to look at the 192 ALIGN switch?
PLT That's affirmative, Hank, and it was
in VISIBLE. I checked it but I guess it - it looks like
it's in OFF.
CC Roger, and you put it back to OFF.
PLT That's affirmative.
CC Okay, thank you, sir.
PLT My error.
CC No problem.
CC And, Skylab; Houston for the CDR. Do
you recall about what time you started the M509 5 Alfa?
CDR 30 minutes ago, Hank.
CC Okay t thank you, sir.
CDR l_ve got my timer set. I'm going to do
Bravo when an hour has expired.
CC Roger_ we copy.
CDR Houston, CDR. l've got a slider map
setting of minus correction 7.5 east at 175858. Is that
correct for ascending node?
CC We'll check it.
CC CDR, Houston. That looks good to us.
CDR Okay, thanks.
CC And, CDR, we're watching the 02 buildup.
It looks like you_ll be able to stop it a little early, say
about 22:15, at the conclusion of the 45 minutes rather than
the full hour. And also, for a note, we'd llke to make a little
change. At the conclusion of the 5 Bravo, we would like you
to put the switches back to COMMAND rather than as called
out in the checklist.
CDH Will do.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're about 1 minute
from LOS. For information the - we sent up a pad, it should
be on board now entitled "any photos". It concerns taking
photos of the removal of the wardroom plate that you asked
aSout earl±er. And we'll see you at Canaries at 49. And
as a rem±nder for SPT, that's his phone call.
SPT Okay. Thanks, Hank.
PAO We've had loss of signal with the space
station through Honeysuckle. We'll next see them at the
SL-IV MC-I035/2
Time: 15:57 CST 32:21:57 GMT
12/17/73
Canary Island tracking site in about 41 minutes. We're

still advertising a 4:15 p.m. central standard time change
of shift briefing. There is at this time a change of
flight controllers underway. We anticipate that the flight
director, Charles Lewis, will be heading for Building 1
very shortly. He'll be assisted in this afternoons Press
Conference by Dr. Geroge G. Armstrong, Jr. who is the off-
going Flight Surgeon, and Dr. Gerald Lo Homick who is one
of the principal imvestigators for one of the medical
experiments identified has the MI31. At 22 hours 8 minutes
Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI036/I
TIME: 17:03 CST, 32:23:03 GMT
12/17/73
PAO This is Skylah Control at 23 hours,

3 minutes Greenwich mean time. During £he change_of-shift
briefing, we acquired approximately 3 minutes of communication
with the crew as they passed through the area of the
Canary Island and Madrid tracking station. We have a new
team of flight controllers on at this time, they're identified
as the pink polkadot team under Flight Director Donald Puddy
and the spacecraft communicator is Bob Crippin. We'll play
the air-to-ground which we transcribed for you at this time.
CC Good afternoon Skylab, you're AOS through
Canary for 12 minutes. You guys enjoying your day off.
CDR We're just having a ball, Crip.
CC Sounds like it, showering and all those
good things, right?
CDR Yeah man, we take one of those every -
once a week, whether we need it or not.
CC Well I'm glad to hear you're running a
clean ship up there.
CDR That's right.
CDR How's all the crimson gang down there,
they all got their eyes open.
CC Wide awake, wide awake. This detail is
easy for us, it's that summary that we kind of kind of
drag a little sometimes.
CDR Very Good.
CC It's a beautiful day here in Houston town.
Pretty nice to get out and see the daylight a little bit.
CDR Good show, weather nice I mean temperature
nice.
CC Oh yeah, it's running like in the 60s,

nice and comfortable.
CDR Oh, thatts great.
CC Of course all parts of the country can't
really say that_ some of our gentlemen here from headquarters
have been reporting they got like i0 inches of snow in
Washington D. C. and still coming down.
CDK Son-of-a-gun. Did they come down to Houston
to get warm.
CC Well I think there's some currently trying
to get down here and others trying to get back and the
question is whether the transportation is going to be able
to get them through the weather or not. I believe both
sides are ready for the exchange.
CDR I was just looking at my slider map,
looks like we'll be flying over there about 8 o_clock tonight.
CC Yeah, looks pretty close. Might even - might
even get us a good chance to go out and see you come by.
SL-IV MCI036/2
TIME: 17:03 CST, 32:23:03 GMT
12/17/73
I had an occasion to be out flying around about a week ago

and saw you pass over. Even in AB, I couldn't catch you.
CDR Crip, I was talking about Washington, it
looks llke we'll miss Houston by quite a distance.
CC Yeah, you're right. I just picked up my
slider there and (garble) say that wouldn't work. I'm afraid
it's going to be clouded up around Washington so I don't believe
they'll be able to see you.
CDR Crip_ I terminated the 02 fill in about
50 minutes rather than an hour and looks like our personal
pressure is a little over 3.9.
CC Okay, we concur on that pressure. EGIL
says you get an atta boy for that Jer.
CDR I'ii take all of those I can get.
CC Skylab, Houston wetre about 30 seconds
from LOS, see you again over Carnarvon in 27 minutes at 23:28,
23:28.
PAO That completes the air-to-ground that we
had acquired while we had the press conference. We'll
reacquire again in 20 minutes and at 23 hours, 7 minutes
Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I037/I
Time: 17:27 CST 32:23:27 GMT
12/17/73

minutes Greenwich mean time. Space station is approaching
the Carnarvon tracking site at this time. And we expect to
have communication with the crew in about 3/4 of a minute.
Meanwhile we'll stand by for communication.
SPT Hank, are you ready for the TV downlink?
MCC Crip is but we're not quite ready.
SPT Okay, and would you like me to interrupt
the extended standard going on the WLC in order to give you
some corona?
CC We'll check on that for you Ed.
CC Ed, while I'm trying to get an answer on
that question you got a moment for some info on a prominence
59?
SPT Go ahead Crip.
CC I don't whether you've noticed it or not but
they're telling us that 59 coming over the the limb there now
is is fairly - fairly large and we can - we can break the
extended standard to get the TV. I'll tell you when we're
ready for the TV though. And what we would like you to do
in this observing time if you would point at 59 and suggested
shopping llst items are ii, 12_ 13, and 31. And after you
finish up the ops we're going to request that you go ahead
and leave it pointed at prominence 59 for unattended operations
tonight.
SPT Okay Crip, I'll go ahead and take a look
at it. Thank you.
CC Okay, also we have - we're reviewing
a message right now that is going to be coming up for close-
out on H-alpha basically to allow us to to go ahead and
take H-alpha photographs unattended.
SPT Okay.
CC Okay Ed, we're ready for the TV now.
SPT Okay, coming with the XU m - monitor
first.
CC SPT, Houston, Ed we'll be uplinking
that message for you shortly and it's only applicable for
the closeout for this evening. We're going to get ready
to hand over to Honeysuckle and I'm probably going to drop
out shortly, I'll give you a call when the handover is
complete.
SPT Okay Crip.
CC Skylab, Houston, we've completed the
handover, talking to you through Honeysuckle for 5 more
minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston_ we're 1 minute from
LOS, next station contact is over Bermuda in 36 minutes at
00:17. At 00:17 we'll be doing a data/voice recorder dump.
SL-IV MC-I037/2
Time: 17:27 CST 32:23:27 GMT
12/17/73
And for your information you're go for the EREP pass this
evening. And at your convenience we can kind of talk a little
bit about what the weather is, although it's going to be kind
of dark down there.
CDR Go ahead Bob, we're all ears.
CC We're going over the hill here, we can
talk to you over stateside.
CDR Okay.
PAO Loss of signal through Honeysuckle, next
acquisition Bermuda in 32 minutes. At 23 hours 43 minutes
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI038/I
TIME: 18:14 CST, 33:00:14 GMT
12/17/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 14 minutes,

43 seconds into day of the year 352. About 3/4 of a minute
away from acquisition through the Merritt Island tracking
site in Florida. We're standing by for communication with
the crew.
CC Skylab, Houston AOS, Bermuda for ii -
correction 10-1/2 minutes and we'll be doing a data/voice
recorder dump here.
SPT Hi'ya Crip.
CC Rog, and I can give you a quick synopsis
of what the weather situation is for the EREP pass again here
or over the upcoming Madrid and it's really very brief and
so whenever you're convenience.
PLT Go on Crip, we'll take it now.
CC Okay. Basically the first portion of
your pass is an altimeter pass along the Atlantic coast and
it's just getting varying wind conditions over the sea and
they've got about 30 knots up around Newfoundland so that's
a pretty good situation for them. The second portion of
your pass picks up just to the west of France, the Bay of
Biscay area and again that's going to work out okay for the
rad data, however most of Europe is pretty well clobbered
for weather and it's supposed to be primarily a geothermal
pass for 192 and we don't really anticipate getting much
data on that. But the rad and the altimeter data should
be good and both of those are mandatory sites, so we are go
for the pass.
PLT Roger, copy.
CC And also for you probably Bill, I've got
some reconfiguring that we would like you to do prior to
going into the maneuver and if you have time, I'd like to
give it to you so you can jot it down and initiate it at
your convenience in the preps.
PLT Ready to copy.
CC Okay. As we always do before an EREP pass
on panel 206, we would like you to mark the position of the
REG-ADJUST BUS, 2 pots only and then adjust the REG ADJUST
BUS to i0 degrees clockwise.
PLT Roger, mark the REG ADJUST BUS 2 pots
then turn it around i0 degrees clockwise.
CC Rog, and in addition to that we would like
to do a little bit of powering down for this pass and if
you would perform steps 5 and 7 of the pre EREP power down
on your SWS systems checklist page 2-15.
PLT Roger, that's steps 5 and 7 not 5-7 on
pre EREP power down page 2-15 SWS system checklist.
CC That's correct 5 and 7. Okay after you
return to solar inertial to get you back in the original power
SL-IV MCI038/2
TIME: 18:14 CST, 38:00:14 GMT
12/17/73
configuration, you should perform steps 2 and 4 of the post

EREP power up per your SWS systems checklist page 2-16
and return the REG-ADJUST BUS 2 to its original marking.
PLT Roger, Post Solar inertial step 2 and 4,
page 2-16 SWS system checklist post EREP power up,
and REG-ADJUST BUS 2 to the mark I made before.
CC That's all of it Bill, thank you very much.
PLT Roger.
CDR Say Crip would you ask the (garble)
in the backroom if they'd like me to leave the reference
switch to mechanical. (garble)
CC We're checking that.
SPT I plan to leave the grading at mechanical
refernce 102.
CC Ed, what we'd like you to do is to go ahead
and set it up like that and then you can switch back
to optical so it will be in good shape for tomorrow.
SPT Oh, okay, will do.
SPT That prominence Crip, certainly is a
beautiful one, it's very extensive and I think we'll have no
trouble getting some good data on it over the next day or so.
I was just working on the (garble) (garble) which appeared to
be the most prominent but it sure is an extensive one and it
looks as though it's right underneath the very pronounced
streamer which I mentioned this morning and when I looked at
it tonight it's even more pronounced, a very large helmet
streamer with an exceptionally dense streamer running all the
way out and this (garble) which is 4-1/2 radii.
CC Rog, it sounds like if they - there's word
coming in from Mavna Loa that they think this might be the
biggest thing that's come around in 20 years.
SPT And I spent all day waiting for 00 to
show me your stuff but nothing happened.
CC Oh, well that' s the way things usually go.
SPT We managed so far in the past couple of
days to get three flares just going into the backside.
CC Good timing. We'll try to work and see if
we can't schedule it a little bit better for you.
CDR Talk to SAO, would you? We did manage
however to get some good mirror line scan data on one flare
rise this morning.
CC Very good and you've got several rises then
it sounds like.
SPT I think the one we got yesterday was
reasonable. I'd still llke to get one a little bit earlier though.
CC Roger.
SL-IV MCI038/3
TIME: 18:14 CST, 33:00:14 GMT
12/17/73
CC Skylab, Houston we're about 30 seconds

from ]LOS, we'll see you again in about 4 minutes over Madrid at
00:31, 00:31.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I039/I
Time: 18:27 CST 33:00:27 GMT
12/17/73
PAO And we've had loss of signal through

the tracking station at MILA and Bermuda. We'll pick them
up again at 3 minutes at Madrid. Standing by.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're AOS through
Madrid for 7-1/2 minutes.
CC SPT, Houston. Ed, you got a moment to
answer a question, please, sir?
SPT Be glad to, Crip. Go ahead.
CC Rog, we noticed that you still got your
TV MONS on and the ROLL is not set as for unattended tonight.
Are you planning on trying to get in some additional
observations before you commence maneuver?
SPT Oh, no, I hadn't, Crip. I had not just
turned MONITORS off. And as far as the roll, when I was
requested to leave the pointing where I had it, I had not
I thought that included the roll. I_ll go ahead and
roll it to what we have here on the pad, if that's what they
prefer.
CC Rog, that's what
SPT (garble)
CC - That's what they'd like, minus 5400.
LOS. We'll see you again at Carnarvon at 26 minutes at 01:04,
01:04.
PAO We've had loss of signal through Madrid.
We'll reaequire again in 24 minutes. At 39 minutes Greenwich
mean time into the new day, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI040/I
TIME: 19:02 CST, 33:01:02 GMT
12/17/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 1 hour,

2 minutes Greenwich mean time. And the space station is
coming up on acquisition through Carnarvon and then onto
Honeysuckle. The crew at this time is about ready to start
its preparation for Earth resources pass number 16_ along
track 58. The actual data take of that particular pass
won't transpire until about 8:00 central standard time,
however there is some preparation required before the data
take starts. And that will start over the east coast of the
U.S. continue out into the North Atlantic over western Europe
and on the peninsula of Italy. And we're standing by for the
air-to-ground.
CC Skylab, Houston we're AOS Carnarvon for
i0 minutes and we will need the DAS so that we can get in
the NAV update. As soon as we get through with it, we_ll
give it back to you so you can get started on your maneuver
prep.
SPT Okay, Crip, you have it.
CC Thank you, sir.
CC Skylab, Houston we've completed the
NAV update and the DAS belongs to you gentlemen again.
SPT Thank you Crip.
CC SPT_ Houston looks like we caught you
with one Ed, when we sent you back to do that roll, we
show it's still enabled and we need you to inhibit it,
please.
SPT Crip, I have configured the H-alpha and
56 the way requested on that pad. Would you rather I do that
after the Z-LV.
CC No that shouldn't make any difference
Ed, you can have it configured now and you did copy about -
Well, never mind, G&S says you just turned it off, you inhibited
the roll.
SPT And Crip_ I worked a little today on
trying to get the TV using the closeup lens set up for
coverage of your favorite topic and I found that the use
of that closeup lens at least on our monitor still does not
give a very - make a closeup enough view of the little fellows
inside the tubes, so I'm not sure that you're going to get
that much out of it. It's a closeup lens but it's really not
meant for something at small.
CC Okay, we copy and understood. Did you
take any at all any of the TV, then?
SPT No I was working on trying to get the
optimum distance for focus and it's - requires a little
more juryrigging in order to get a steady picture and I got
part way through it and I have not taken any pictures yet.
I see I've got it lined up for tomorrow.
SL-IV MCI040/2
TIME: 19:02 CST, 33:01:02 GMT
].2/17/73
CC Okay, Ed that sounds good, at your

convenience, when you can get it.
SPT Okay, has anyone tried down there to see
what they can do with the closeup lens? I mean actually looked
at the - what they get out and see what the resolution actually
is.
CC Good point, we'll check.
SPT The monitor that we have is not that good
as you know, the resolution is not as high as you'd like so if
someone could come up with a recommended distance in order to
get the correct focus, certainly the depth of field is not
very large and if someone could look at the analagous situation
we're facing and recommend the distance and settings that might
give you a better picture.
CC Sounds like an excellent idea, we'll see
if we can round something up like that, see if we can find
some hatched moth eggs to - to go look at.
SPT You ought to have some around_ Crip, just
look around in a few doors at home, there's got to be something.
CC I'm sure we can either do that or find a
good substitute.
CC Skylab, Houston we're i minute from LOS,
we'll have you again in about a minute and a half through
Honeysuckle.
SPT Roger, Houston.
CC Skylab, Houston AOS through Honeysuckle.
CC Skylab, Houston we're i minute from LOS,
we'll have you again over Texas in 30 minutes at 01:48,
01:48 see you in the maneuver and itts looking good.
SPT Thank you Houston, talk to you then.
CC Roger.
PAO We've had loss of signal through the
Honeysuckle tracking site. Back again in 27 minutes. At
i hour 20 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1041/I
Time: 19:46 CST 33:01:46 GMT
12/17/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 1 hour 46

minutes Greenwich mean time. A minute and a half away from
acquisition through the Texas tracking station. At this
time the crew should be very deeply involved in preparation
for Earth resources survey number 16. That's the pass that
the data take will start over the east coast of the U.S.
and head up through the north Atlantic cross western Europe
and come into Italy. And it basically is an investigation
of geothermal energy and of sea states. We're about 45 seconds
away from acquiring the space station we'll stand by for the
air,to,ground.
CDR - Bravo 8 is i; Bravo 9 is 58; Charlie 2,
44; Charlie 3, 88; Charlie 4, 71; Charlie 5, 83: Charlie 6,
47; Charlie 7 is 52 - make that 51; and Delta 2 is reading 86;
Delta 3 is 84; Delta 4 is 80 - is 72; Delta 5 is (garble);
Delta 6 is down to 57 now; and Delta 7 is i0 on monitor Delta
6.
CC Skylab, Houston copying you on VOX through
Texas for about 16 - 15-1/2 minutes.
CDR Okay. Just finished a monitoring check.
SPT Hello Crip, I got some questions for you.
CC Go Ed.
SPT Okay_ in the first maneuver the Y, shouldn't
that been a plus (garble) I think the entry is the same but I
think the dus - the degrees - was should have been plus
4.36. And secondly - -
PLT Acapulco is over to the left.
SPT - - the maneuver we're going to do after
this one coming up that's the last fine maneuver before the SI.
Is that one for - -
PLT Kill the lights -
SPT - - (garble) considerations or for
experiment ii?
CC That's for going back to the offset
attitude to get the principal axis tangent to the gravity
vectors.
SPT Okay, thank you.
PLT Ed, do you mind if we kill the lights?
PLT Well there's Acapulco at night. Come
here and take a look at this. See that little bay down there?
CDR Uh-huh.
PLT Beautiful.
CDR Mexico City's - -
PLT Mexico City - -
CDR - - coming up next.
PLT There it is. Gosh, really great, huh?
CDR Holy cow.
SL-IV MC-I041/2
Time: 19:46 CST 33:01:46 GMT
12/17/73
PLT Look at the visibility.

CDR Looks as if Mexico City looks like a big
five-pointed star, doesn't it.
PLT There's Guadalajara up and to the left.
CDR Yep.
CC Sounds like you guys are getting a pretty
view.
CDR Yeah.
PLT Yeah, gosh, tremendous.
CDR Mexico City's lights are laid out in such
a way or the city's laid out in such a way that it looks like
a five_pointed star.
PLT So we can even see some beacon flashing
down there, maybe it's a search light.
CC For the SPT, Ed did I understand your
question on the first Y fine maneuver_ the 50644, that is
supposed to be plus 4.20 degrees,
SPT there's a (garble)
CDR Say again.
SPT No, no, nothing; I'ii tell you later.
PLT You see that bright spot down there is
Acapulco, that very bright spot?
CDR Yeah.
PLT Illuminated church steeple.
CDR Huh.
PLT Let's look and see where we're coming
there.
CDR Okay, S192 DOOR is OPEN, the READY light
is out or the DOOR CLOSE light is out, waiting for a READY
light.
CDR READY light's ON, MODE's going to CHECK.
S190 HEATER SWITCH OFF light is OFF. 17 window pushes and
the over temp both push to test okay. Okay let's do the
preoperation configuration. TAPE RECORDER is ON, READY light
is ON, 92, POWER's ON, READY's out; MODE, CHECK, DOOR, OPEN. 91
is ONp the COOLER is ON and the DOOR is OPEN. 90 is OFF, the
READY is out and stand by, and the DOOR is OPEN because we're
rubbernecking through it. At 93R stand by, READY out;
SCATTEROMETER OFF, READY out. ALTIMETER, OFF, READY, out.
94, ON _ excuse me ON, READY, off.
PLT Okay, come quick you can see the whole
Texas coast from Brownsville to Houston_ Beaumont, Port Arthur,
and Lake Charles.
CDR Holy cow.
PLT Look and there's Brownsville and the big
one on the coast you can see Galveston Bay outlined by the
darkness.
SL-IV MC-I041/3
Time: 19:46 CST 33:01:46 GMT
12/17/73
CDR Yep.
PLT San Antonio, Austin. Let's see if we can
see Fort Worth. I can't quite crane my neck far enough.
CDR Okay.
CC Told you it was pretty weather out there.
CDR Sure is.
PLT Sure is.
CDR (garble)
PLT Trying to see the Dome.
CDR Okay, I'm 45 seconds from my first action
here EREP
PLT New Orleans.
CDR - - START's at 58:15.
PLT See New Orleans down there. Gosh what
a tremendous view. This is just like the one over Europe only
better. The whole gulf coast looks clear as a bell.
PLT Yeah.
CDR Tell you the (garble) on the water?
PLT Yeah, that's what he's talking about.
There's quite a few of them over there, I don't see any on
fire, though.
CDR Okay, on my mark it_ll be 54:15. Stand
by - RADIOMETER is going OFF. Next mark will be at 58:15
with an EREP, START.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI042/I
TIME: 19:54 CST, 33:01:54 GMT
12/17/73
CC Looks like you're going to pass just about

over Pensacola.
PLT Yeah, we have the whole Florida peninsula
in site all the way down to the Keys. Miami's lit up, look
at - you can see Miami Beach, Tampa, St. Pete.
CDR Oh, Boy.
PLT You can see the whole thing.
CDR Now it's just down there around the
everglades is the only place that therets no lights.
PLT Tallahassee. That's right. Pensacola,
where I first learned to fly. (Garble) the whole eastern
seaboard, too much.
CDR Well they got snow in Washington so it's
gotta be cloudy up there.
PLT Coming up Atlanta.
CREW (Garble)
PLT Yeah. Well that main route there goes
all the way up to Atlanta see.
CDR Tallahasse to Atlanta?
PLT Yeah.
CDR Old Tal you can see the - you can see
the interstate highway all the way down the center of Florida.
PLT That's right.
CDR Right down the middle of it like a backbone.
PLT There's the Cape, you can see the Cape plain.
CDR Yeah.
PLT Orlando.
CDR Merritt Island, the whole smear.
PLT Cocoa Beach doesn't seem yeah it's lit
up fairly well.
SPT Sounds like you guys are getting all the
good looking and I got to watch this darn C&D panel.
PLT (Garble) left the East coast now is still
clear.
CDR Yeah.
CREW Look at this just - action zero geez.
CDR That's gotta be Savannah
PLT Yeah.
CDR Just straight down, Charleston coming up.
PLT That's right.
PLT Cape Hatteras can't be far behind.
CDR Got to be Columbus and Augusta. (Garble)
PLT Say it's too bad you can't make a picture
of this. This is very good demographic data, it's just too
bad you can't record it. What we need is an IR (Garble) camera.
Look at the exquisite detail down there. The right - with the
SL-IV MCI042/2
TIME: 19:54 CST, 33:01:54 GMT
12/17/73
camera you could really do a proper job. Hey, you can see
Lake - golly you can see all the way to Lake Michigan. Chicago.
Starting to pick up a few clouds now.
CDR Oh, yeah.
PLT Wait a minute, is Washington clouded over,
looks to me like
CDR Let's see we're just going over - is that
Wilmington?
PLT (garble)
CDR (garble) left, that's New Bern, North
Carolina down there at Cherry Point.
PLY Yeah.
PLT If you get over here a minute you can see
all the way to Lake Michigan. Move over where I am. You
can see Chicago,
PLT Okay, now we're starting to pick up
cloud cover. Okay I - Washington has got to be right down
here.
CDR Yeah there's Norfolk down the_e, look at
that
CDR Langley, Norfolk.
CDR The whole area.
PLT Now this is Washington right over here
isn't it?
CDR Yeah_ Washington, Baltimore.
PLT Baltimore_ right.
CDR Hey tell your Baltimore folks
PLT Washington
CDR Washington folks they can go home, the
clouds have cleared.
PLT Looks pretty clear, some clouds but (garble).
CDR Okay, I've got an EREP start to do here,
l'm gonna need some light (garble).
PLT Yeah, I don't know.
CD R I'Ii see if I can do without lights.
CDR Stand by for EREP start.
CDR MARK. EREP start at 58:21.
PLT See the Delaware Peninsula.
CDR ALTIMETER is ON, I got behind. ALTIMETER
went on at 31, the EREP started at 21.
PLT Ak we're (Garble) Jer let's stop it.
PLT Okay, lights coming on.
CC Can you guys verify for us that we did
get the flow, the valves_ EREP valves to flow_ please.
PLT Verify that Ed.
CDR Did not get there.
CC Put it there for us we'd appreciate it.
SL-IV MCI042/3
TIME: 19:54 CST, 33:01:54 GMT
12/17/73
CDR It's there now.

CDR Okay, next mark will be 02, 01, 45.
I've got an altimeter UNLOCK light but I still got a READY
liKht. Okay, it just blinked, went out and now it's back on.
Now it's out.
CC Jerry, you can delay your 183 alfa
standby to 02:01:55.
CDR Okay, We'll pick up that I0 seconds I
lost at the beginning.
CC That's fine.
CDR Okay we're passing 01:45 on my mark it'll
be 01:55. Stand by
CDR MARK. ALTIMETER to STANDBY, EREP stop.
Changing the altimeter range to 63, MODE to 2 -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI043/i
Time: 20:02 CST, 33:02:02 GMT
12/17/73
CDR - - 5. Stand by -
CDR MARK, ALTIMETER, to STANDBY, EREP, STOP.
Changing the ALTIMETER RANGE to 63, MODE to 2, RADIOMETER
is going to STANDBY.
CC We enjoyed the - the ride over the
clear coast there with you guys.
CDR I tell you we did too. I'm sorry I
let it get to the C&D panel. I was late. But it was worth
it.
CC No sweat, no problem at all.
CDR I don't believe I have ever seen it
that clear before and the opportunity to see if from up
here is just fantastic.
PLT It is, and it's tan- it's just so seldom,
of course you're in Z-LV only in an EREP pass, that you can
look out the big picture window. Boy that was trem - I ju -
the whole southeast quarter - a little bit more
CDR Yeah.
PLT It was clear.
CDR It looks like a spider web with water
droplets on it.
PLT Uh-huh.
CDR Doesn't it?
SPT Say, Crip could you see every major
artery running all over the whole eastern side of the country.
CC Yeah, it must have cleared up considerably
up there from where they were having that snow, and consider
you guys filled a visual ops VTO.
CDR Very good.
PLT Yeah, it looked like the clouds started
just to the south of the D.C. area, and right over D.C.,
it looks like may have been a solid over if you were
looking from the city, but from up here it looked like
had about 6/10. You know integrated over a i00 - 200-mile
area.
CC Rog, and we're about 30 seconds from
LOS. We'll pick you up again at Madrid in about 5 minutes,
02:08. And we'll be doing a data/voice recorder dump there.
SPT Say, Crip, it really was ashamed that
we did not have a camera out with some high speed film
because demographic study could really benefit by a pass
like that one.
CC Rog.
PLT Boy, that -
CDR This would have been a good opportunity
for a camera with that super sensitive film that -
PLT Yeah.
SL-IV MCI043/2
Time: 20:02, CST, 33:02:02 GMT
12/17/73
CDR Some of that we're taking pictures at

night.
PLT It's - it's just a rare opportunity when
you get clear area that that.
CDR Yeah.
PLT You get the country clear.
CDR Don't you think the people - the
population
PLT Yeah, but the demographers would go
right out of their gourds looking at that.
CDR And those folks studying the metropolitan
area.
PLT Yeah.
CDR Where - -
PLT The areas all-
CDR All the HHI01 sites. Miami is one of
the sites.
PLT It was an oblique but it was still
much better data than you - -
CDR Yeah, Mexico City's one of the sites
and we' re looking right down at that. I couldn't get over
how much Mexico City looks like a star. Did you -
PLT Yeah.
CDR See that?
PLT Yeah.
PAO Keeping the line up. The Atlantic
Ocean expect to reacquire in about 3 minutes through Madrid.
PLT - - I think it'd be worth a whole roll
of film. But I imagine it's all allocated.
CC Guys we' re back with you through Madrid
for 7 minutes. Doing a data/voice recorder dump.
CDR Rog, Crip. On my mark it'll be 09:00.
Stand by
CDR MARK. SCATTEROMETER is going to STANDBY.
EREP, START in 55 seconds. Bill, I'm going to need a VTS
AUTO CAL at 10:06.
PLT Okay, give it to you.
CDR That would be 6 seconds a_ter AUTO START
- EREP START.
PLT I'ii be looking at the VTS, I'ii give
it to
you.
CDR Okay.
CDR On my mark it'll be 02:10 and zero seconds.
Stand by
CDR MARK. EREP, START.
PLT Standing by for CAL.
CDR Stand by -
SL-IV MCI043/3
Time: 20:02 CST, 33:02:02 GMT
12/17/73
CDR/PLT MARK.
CDR AUTO CAL. On my mark it'll be 10:12
CDR MARK. 194 MODE, to MANUAL. On my mark
it'll be 10:20. Stand by -
CDR MARK. RADIOMETER, ON.
CC Coming up over the coast, don't
expect you' re going to be able -
CDR Yeah, it looks pretty black down there.
PLT Did you notice how he fogged that
window up that guard up (Chuckle) were you looking?
CDR No, I didn't notice that. Window
protector, huh?
PLT Yeah.
CDR Oh, yeah, there's a few lights down
there. Are we over northern France, now?
CC That's affirm.
CDR Okay, we can see England over to the
left. I tell you that country's really lit up.
PLT Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, you can see all
the way from lands end to London. Son of a gun.
CDR Okay, at 12:30, the RADIOMETER is
going to STANDBY.
PLT (Garble) for 14:40.
CDR On my mark it'll be 12:30. Stand by
CDR MARK. RADIOMETER to STANDBY. Looking
for an S191 READY light.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI044/I
TIME: 20:12 CST, 33:02:12 GMT
12/17/73
CDR Looking for S191 READY light.

GDR MARK S191 ready on at 45 going to
reference 6. My mark it'll be 1258. Stand by -
CDR MARK. It's SCATTEROMETER is ON, RADIO-
METERs ON. There's a large city below us, slightly left.
PLT Strait of Gibraltar, are we over Gibraltar,
Crip?
CC No you should be coming up just about
northern Italy.
PLT Okay. Am I off on that one.
CDR Okay mark 192 mode to ready in 56.
PLT Okay stand by for 14:40. That same
river mouth I thought was the Straits the other night.
So we were -
CDR Oh, that's Barcelona down there
on the coastline -
PLT Yeah.
CDR we're coming right over what looks like
maybe the Riviera. Cote d'Azur.
PLT Stand by for 1440.
PLT MARK. Okay (garble) high on high.
Again 2, 3, 4, 5, we're up to 5 again.
CC Okay, we're about 30 seconds from LOS, we'll
see you again at Carnarvon 02:45, 02:45, that's about
31 minutes away.
CDR Okay, Grip we'll see you then.
CDR We went right over Monaco.
PLT (Garble) 4, 5, OFF. On HIGH 3
CC Sounds like a the weather was a little
bit better than we were thinking it was going to be.
CDR Well there a light - there's a light
overcast. You can see the lights through the clouds I think.
It's over a large city in northern Italy now, I was just
looking to see what it might see.
PLT High 5, 4, 3 - HALT, 5 ON, 4. Lights off
on high 4, (garble) on high -
Terminating what apparently was a fairly successful Earth
survey pass. A descriptive one if no less since a lot of
the area prior to the start of the EREP pass was relatively
clear affording the Skylab IV crew with an excellent view.
And they reciprocated by telling us Earthlings how wonderful
it was to look down from space. In 27 minutes we'll reacquire
at 2 hours 18 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skyla5
Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC- i045/i
Time: 20:44 CST 33:02:44 GMT
12/17/73

minutes Greenwich mean time. Less than a minute away from
acquisition through Carnarvon, and we expect that will be a
rather short pass, low elevation pass so to speak. So we may
not get very much communication with the crew on that pass.
Next station coming up after Carnarvon is Honeysuckle.
According to the Flight Plan the crew at this time is in its
post-Earth resources pass preparation. Standing by.
CC Skylab, Houston, AOS Carnarvon. We have
you for about 2-1/2 minutes.
PLT Roger Crip, l'm doing a teleprinter
paper changeout right now.
CC Okay, we copy that. Thank you Bill.
CDR And Crip there was a surprisingly large
amount of tape left over_ it kind of bothered me some. Charlie
8 was reading 15 percent _ and I guess it took about 3 seconds
for the tape to run off at fast forward. That surprised me in
light of the fact that in the remarks on my pad they indicated
that we might not have enough for the second EREP, START. I
can confirm we had TAPE MOTION, though, throughout the pass.
CC Okay_ we copy that.
CC EREP people would like to thank you for
that beautiful pass and description you gave us when you
went went around. And for your information tomorrow morning
on a downward pass through California and back into Mexico
the weather should be just about they it looked tonight. And
it should be nice and clear for you.
PLT Say, very good. Thank you Crip.
SPT Say Crip, that was an awe-inspiring site.
There was certainly an awful lot of major highways, you could
see all across the whole eastern United States. And lots of,
of course the large towns and all the small towns at
intersections, and even some of the smaller ones just along
the roads all showed up. It was a beautiful site.
CC Certainly sounded like it. And for us
poor guys that got to sit down on the ground it's kind of
enjoyable to at least sort of seem like we're going with you.
SPT I guess our only regret is that we didn't
have any film on board or at least loaded in cameras and ready
to go. Like we could have brought back some good pictures
for you.
PLT One minor correction what I called out
Lake Michigan and Chicago is actually is Lake Erie and Detroit.
CC Okay, we certainly wouldn't want to
confuse those. Thank you Bill. Hey regarding your comments
about being able to take pictures we've been thinking about
that and we - would you like us to do a little work _Io see
SL-IV MC-1045/2
Time: 20:44 CST 33:02:44 GMT
12/17/73
if we could set something up like that for tomorrow morning?

SPT Yeah, we certainly would Crip. I think
that would really be useful.
CC Okay, we're going LOS and we're going
to pick you up at Honeysuckle in about 6 minutes.
SPT I think a lot of useful information
could come out of pictures like that.
PA0 Space station has moved out of range at
Carnarvon° Consequently we've lost the capability to
maintain any more communication. We'll take the line down
at 2 hours 49 minutes Greenwich mean time and come back up
in about 5 minutes.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-i046/i
Time: 20:52 CST 33:02:52 GMT
12/17/73

minutes Greenwich mean time. 3/4 of a minute away to
acquisition through Honeysuckle. The crew apparently had
a good Earth resources pass, the one just finished. And
certainly was impressed by the view that it had over the U.S. on
the earlier pass as attested by their repeated conversations
about that. We'll standby for air-to- ground with Skylab-IV.
CC Skylab, Houston through Honeysuckle and
we have you for about 1-1/2 minutes.
PLT Crip, a couple of things. Would you send
us up a teleprinter test message, it was getting awful
faint there and I changed that roll. And also if you are
going to send us up too I guess, has the general message come
up on the CMG troubleshooting yet?
CC I don't believe we've uplinked that -
yet, let me standby i.
CC Yeah, that hasn't gone yet, we're prepared
to do that shortly though. And we need, Bill, for you to go
5 degrees cou - clockwise, 5 degrees clockwise on REG ADJUST
BUS 2.
PLT Roger, 5 clockwise.
PLT How's that look to you Crip?
CC We're checking it and we'll be unable to
get a test message out this is too short a pass here, wetll
try to get it over stateside. We're about to go LOS, we'll have
you again at Goldstone at 03:24, that's about 28 minutes away.
And we"ll be standing by for the evening status report there.
SPT Okay, thank you Crip. And we do hear
the woodpecker working right now and also the visual ops pad
3332, would you read some of that please, that's awful
faint.
CC Okay, visual ops, we'll send it again.
SPT Thank you.
PAO Skylab just skirted the edge of the two
down under tracking stations as attested by the fact that they
were both short passes. We'll reacquire in about 27 minutes.
At 2 hours 57 minutes Greenwich mean time this is Skylab
Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI047/I
TIME: 2].:13 CST, 33:03:13 GMT
12/17/73

14 minutes Greenwich mean time. Under the heading of
incidental information passed on December 17th, also known
as Skylab-IV experiment status as of mission day 31 let us
pass this information on to you. Long before the Skylab-IV
crew was launched to make the final visit to the space station,
Earthbound planners attempted to compile a timetable of ideal
experiments, total hours to be aimed for at mission end. The
numbers as we said are ideal in that they assume everything
aboard Skylab that is those human and mechanical things are
going to work out all right. A runnin B tally of how many
man hours have been spent on each experiment is kept by the
Flight Activities Officer here at Mission Control Center and
these running totals are computed against a planned mission
end total. And as of Mission day 31 which was yesterday,
the medical experiments had loBged 157 hours and 26 minutes
of time toward an expected 437 hours and 54 minutes total.
The Apollo telescope man hours were 160 hours and 24 minutes
toward a planned 516 hours, 12 minutes total. In the Earth
resources survey category 4 hours and 48 minutes of collecting
data have been - have been accumulated compared to 18 hours
expected by end of mission. Of the 50 Earth resources surveys
that have been planned, 15 have been run or scheduled. Surveys
canceled because of weather are counted in the 15. In the
so-called corollary category of experiments, that is a sort of
catch all of experiments that are not medical nor solar physics
nor Earth resources, 58 hours and 28 minutes have been spent
toward a planned 309 hours, 41 minute total. Corollary
experiments used in observing the Comet Kohoutek have logged
32 hours and 39 minutes toward a planned total of 142 hours
and 4 minutes. And of the 14 hours, 48 minutes plan for
running student experiments, those experiments selected
from proposals from high school science students across the
country, 2 hours and 50 minutes have been logged. The tally
is also kept of non-experiment crew man hours, for example
21 hours and 36 minutes were planned for sub-system detail
test objectives - really engineering tests of equipment aboard
the space station. Out of that amount 14 hours and 41 minutes
have been spent so far. Another catchall category of
activities that are neither experiments nor test objectives
are lumped together in what is called Operational man hours.
These include such things as suit drying, handheld photos,
TV equipment transfer, and sleep and meals. The crew has
spent 1654 hours and 9 minutes toward a man hour total of
4375, that's 4375 hours of operational activities. The
SL-IV MCI047/2
TIME: 21:13 CST, 33:03:13 GMT
12/17/73
information just passed to you was compiled earlier today

by Robert T. White, a member of the JSC Public Affairs
Office. At 3 hours 18 minutes Greenwich mean time, this
is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC1048/I
Time: 21:22 CST, 33:03:22 GMT
12/17/73
PAO Skylab Control, here at 3 hours 23

minutes Greenwich mean time. Space station is approaching
the west coast of Mexico on a pass that'll take it into a
northeastern direction over the continental United States.
As a matter of fact, it will fly nearly over Phoenix,
Arizona, this time. About 25 seconds before we acquire
the space station. Stand by for the call from the Spacecraft
Communicator.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're AOS stateside
17 minutes. Standing by for your evening status report.
SPT Okay, Crip Jerry'll be with you in a
moment. I repointed the ATM so they would be looking at
the prominence. We apparently last time we rolled about
Sun center rather than about the prominence, when we put that
roll in. And so they've got 55 MIRROR AUTO RASTER ought to
cover it real well. The prominence is big, so darned big
though, I'm not sure it'll fit the whole darned thing in
the MIRROR AUTO RASTER but it's pretty much centered on
the prominence.
CC Okay, we got that thank you very much.
SPT Crip, I wish we could send you down
some H-alpha to take a look at it, I'm not sure whether
your displays are good enough but the si - the size of it
has got beautiful structure in it. The southern feet of
it, foot of it has got a lot of vertical threads in it,
just numerous ones, I'm sure we could lay the 82B slit right
along those threads although the slit would be vertical.
The northern portion is very dense right close to the foot,
which is a little bit smaller up north. Sure is mammoth
and it's beautiful.
CC Sounds like it. If you got a pencil
handy I can give you a recommendation for film for sho -
shooting in tomorrow's EREP pass.
SPT We're ready to copy, Crip, go ahead.
CC Okay, we recommend that you rewind the
IRI4, presently in Nikon 02, leaving in a sufficient amount of
tail for rethreading and then load Bravo Victor 43 which is
in F30 of the vault in Nikon 02. And recommend the 65-
millimeter lens, you got a full roll of 46 frames, and it's
all available to you to shoot as you see fit.
SPT Okay, Crip, I understand rewind what
we have on Nikon 02 which is IRI4, and put in Bravo Victor 43
which is in F30, 55-millimeter, 46 frames. Thank you.
CC Rog, and I got a couple more notes
while I'm standing by for Jer, if he's not ready to come with
it yet.
CDR Okay, I'm ready now.
CC Okay, then we've got a new visual ops
SL-IV MCI04 8/2
Time: 21:22 CST, 33:03:22 GMT
12/17/73
pad on board in the teleprinter and if you could -

CC Skylab, Houston, we're dropping out
momentarily due to handover and when Jer's ready we're
standing by for the evening stat now.
CC We would like a reading on what the
teleprinter messages look like. Skylab, Houston, you
copy my last? Skyiab, Houston, how do you read?
CDR Hello, Houston, how do you read
Skyl ab now?
CC Okay, looks like we're back together
again. And we' re ready for the evening stat if you are.
And we got a couple of teleprinter messages up there. We'd
appreciate it if somebody takes a look at it.
CDR Houston, Skylab how do you read?
CC How do you read Jer?
CDR Crip, read you loud and clear, how me?
CC Same. We're standing by for the evening
status report. And we got a couple of new teleprinter
messages we'd appreciate if somebody'd check the quality.
CDR Okay, they look fine. Okay, CDR, on sleep:
8.5, 8.5/heavy; SPT, 8.0, 7/heavy, i/light; PLT, 9.0, 8.5/
heavy, half/light. Volume: CDR, 1350; 1700; 2000, that's
CDR, SPT, and PLT, in that order. Water gun: CDR, 7489;
SPT, 2928; PLT, 8963. Body mass: CDR, 6.307, 6.306, 6.309;
SPT, 6.363, 6.369, 6.369; PLT, 6.228, 6.225, 6.228. Exercise:
CDR, Method Alfa, minus 2 minutes. SPT, no change. PLT,
no change. Medications and clothing: CDR, no medication,
one pair of socks. SPT, no medication, one pair of socks.
PLT, Afrin three times today, one pair of trousers, two
T-shirts, two shorts, three pair of socks. Food log: CDR,
5.5 salt, zero deviations, plus two water. SPT, 1.5 salt,
zero deviations, zero water. PLT, 8.5 salt, zero deviations,
zero water. Flight Plan deviations: none. Shopping list
accomplishments: Delta Papa, 14 Bravo, Delta Papa, 18.
Inoperable equipment: disposition DAC 01 is okay for
all modes except time, in the time mode it jams up. Unscheduled
stowage: none. And if we get time later this evening we
hope to do - to take up one of the other foot restraints at the
food table and we'll get it on TV. Photo log: 16-millimeter;
Delta Papa, 14, Bravo, Charlie India, 126, 96, Charlie
India, 125. Delta Papa, 18, Charlie India, 126, 67,
Charlie India, 125. Okay, on the Nikons we'll give you a
count on 01 when we get to it, 02 is no change, 03, no change,
04, is Bro - Bravo Echo, 08, 22, 05 is Bravo Hotel, 05, 12.
70-millimeter is Charlie X-ray, 17, 120. ETC, no change,
EREP, no change. Alfa 1 in drawer configuration, Alfa I no
change, Alfa 2, no change, Alfa 3, 05, Charlie India, 126,
67, Charlie India 125, Alfa 4, no change, back no change.
And we owe you a count on Nikon 01.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI049/I
Time: 21:32 CST 33:03:32 GMT
12117173
CC Okay, very good, Jer. I've got one

other item here for the SPT regarding that TV of my favorite
subject.
SPT Go ahead, Crip. I know you can't keep
away from it.
CC Roger that. Our recommendation on the
TV right now is that you try getting 4-1/2 to 5 inches away
from it, and then take the zoom lens and go zooming in
from 50 towards 150, until you get the best picture. And
try it with that.
SPT Okay, Crip. Understand 4-1/2 to 5 inches
away and zoom in at between 50 and 150.
CC That's affirm. Start it at 50 and just
start zooming up to 150 and stop wherever it - it seems
like the best to you. And be advised, of course, the
(garble) is fairly critical on this one. It's about a
half an inch.
SPT Rog, Crip, that's what I understand.
Okay. I'll give it a go. Thank you.
CDR And, Crip, Nikon 01 is Charlie X-ray
36 with 16 frames.
CC Okay, and we're getting ready to hand
over to med conference here in about i minute. And Jerry
Hordinsky is standing by to talk to you. I'ii have another
pass at Madrid at 03:45, we'll be doing a data/voice re-
corder dump and I'ii have a couple of items for you there.
CDR Okay.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're AOS through
Madrid. Got you for about 9 minutes and we're doing a data/
voice recorder dump. Got a few items I need to run over
with you, if you got time.
PLT I'ii talk to you, Crip, they're tied up
removing leg pedestals.
CC Removing pedestals. Very good. One
item we're going to need to get today is an ATM film counter
reading. Also - and I was talking to Ed a while ago, and
giving him that procedure for the TV, I forgot to tell him
that he needs to set focus at infinity.
PLT Okay, copied that.
CC And Jer's concern a while ago regarding
the EREP tape, it came out just about like we were expecting
it. So it - al - everything was hunky-dory there.
PLT Roger.
CC And, I might as well tell you now - I'm
sure you saw it on your Flight Plan. We'll be waking you up at
i0:00 in the morning, coming up over Texas.
PLT Okay, l'm going to run up and get the
frame count for you.
SL-IV MCI049/2
Time: 21:32 CST 33:03:32 GMT
12/17/73
CC Okeydoke, I'll wait till yon get there.

PLT Okay, frame count, 9070, 2326, 55659,
3984, 2637.
CC Okay, appreciated that. And you had a
question the other night, I believe regarding your operations
on SO63 during the air-glow, and you were wondering if we
centered the air-glow what - whether you should center it such
that the entire field of view is in the sight, as if you were
seeing a full field of view or the - whether it should be
truncated. And the way you were doing it was correct. It
should be centered, and it will be cut off because the line
of sight of your viewing device is off-set from that of
the AMS.
PLT Okay, I think I was I think I under-
stand that and I'ii continue doing it the same way, Crip.
Thank you.
CC Okay, I didn't say that very good, but
the camera does get its - the entire horizon and it's just
your viewing device there has it off-set.
PLT Okay, that explains that answers the
question. I didn't ask it very well either. But I see what
you're talking about.
CC Okay, and one other item, we talked a
few nights ago about it looked like you were getting a little
bit warm, and prior to the EREP, the airlock module 60
degree wall heaters and the MDA 70 degree wall heaters were
commanded off for power reasons. And we're going to command
the AM 60 degree wall heaters back on and leave the MDA
70 degree wall heaters off to improve the thermal environ-
ment in the workshop. And we're wondering if you had ever
installed the portable fan, if so, did you notice any
difference in the OWS temp?
PLT Yeah, Jer installed it up by the
dome hatch pointed down toward the aft compartment and we
couldn't notice any difference on the reading, but we noticed
a subjective difference - at least I thought it made a - a
little bit of difference, - a considerable difference, in
fact.
CC Okay, understand you had it blowing into
the workshop?
PLT That's affirm.
CC Okay, the way that we've been using that
before was to blow it such that it was blowing air on the
heat exchanger itself.
PLT Maybe I've got it wrong, let me go take
a look at it.
CC (garble).
SL-IV MCI049/3
Time: 21:32 CST 33:03:32 GMT
12/17/73
PLT It's pointed it down, Crip.

CC Okay, it's entirely up to you guys what
ever way you' re comfortable. The way we had used it previous-
ly though, was to orient it such that it was blowing up
over the heat exchangers.
PLT Okay, strange though, but it sure
did seem to make a lot of difference the way it was.
CC Well, that may be more comfortable, I
don't know if we've tried it like that before.
PLT The woodpecker's working away.
CC Rog, and we just sent up that nice long
message on the C&D coolant lu- loop procedure you' re going
to have to run tomorrow.
PLT Okay.
CC While you guys are there, I've got - got
a few news items I could just read over while you're working,
if you would like. We've got you for about 4 more minutes.
CDR Sure would, Crip, go ahead.
CC Okay, one item perhaps of interest :
Dr. Charles Greeley Abbot, a pioneer- pioneering astronomer
who believed the energy source of the future to be the Sun
died today, and he was i01 years old. Abbot was associated
with the Smithsonian Institution for over- -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1050/I
Time: 21:51 CST 33:03:51 GMT
12/17/73
CC Perhaps of interest Dr. Charles Greeley

Abbot, a pioneer - pioneerin_ astronomer who believed the
energy source of the future to be the Sun died today. And
he was i01 years old. Abbot was associated with the Smithsonian
Institute for over three-quarters of a century, joining the
staff in i[895. In 1928 he became secretary, or chief
executive officer. The eastern United States shivered
Monday as the big - first big storm of the season struck
an area from northern Georgia to the tip of Maine, delaying
commuters and snarling traffic everywhere. The New York
and American Stock Exchanges Exchanges delayed opening for
an hour as traders and clerical personnel struggled through
the snow, sleet and freezing rain to reach the Wall Street
area. Six inches of snow covered the nation's Capital,
slowed traffic to a crawl, and resulted in hundreds of minor
auto accidents and causing the closing of most schools. I
understand that was up to i0 inches on my last report. It
sounds like maybe some of it cleared off from what you
reported earlier on your - on your pass. Israel and Egypt
may agree quickly to separate their armies on the Suez front,
but an overall Middle East settlement may be harder to get
than the Vietnam truce. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
flew to Portugal from Israel, where he won acceptance of
agenda priorities for the Arab-Israeli peace conference
scheduled to begin Friday in Geneva. And I believe that
sort of hits the highlights of the items that we were given
here.
PLT Okay, thank you Crip, what about Monday
night football?
CC Nobody's told me yet, and I haven't had
a chance to find out.
PLT What do you do during those LOS periods?
CC Review 6 pages of messages worth of
studying how to repair coolant loops.
CC I understand the Liberty Bowl is going
on tonight and North Carolina State is ahead of Kansas 7 to
nothing. And I don't believe we had a pro game going tonight.
PLT Thank you Crip.
CC Can you give us the status if the VTR,
are you going to be shooting any more TV, or is that about
completed?
SPT No, we're going to use it a little bit
more here Crip. We got one (garble) out and we're going to
get the other one out. But first I had my I had to get
my back to the camera so we cut it off.
CC Okay, very good. We're a minute from
LOS, and we_ll leave you guys alone for the rest of the night.
SL-IV MC-I050/2
Time: 21:51 CST 33:03:51 GMT
12/17/73
I'ii give you the next station contact, it's going to be

over Tananarive at 04:06 if you guys need to give us a call.
CC Nighty night.
PLT Good night Crip.
PAO We've had loss of signal through the
Madrid tracking station. We have no more scheduled air-to-
ground communication although we will be reacquiring the
space craft in i0 minutes through Tananarive. The Skylab
crew has an early wakeup, as a matter of fact they've got
a long day tomorrow, an early wakeup, 4:00 a.m. at which
time they will make preparation for an Earth resources pass
identified as EREP pass 17 over track 63. They also have
medical experiments on tap for tomorrow. And a liberal
period of time at the ATM console for solar observation. And
of course there's a considerable amount of comet work tomorrow
also. At 3 hours 56 minutes Greenwich meantime we are signing
off here.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI051/I
TIME: 22:10 CST, 33:04:10 GMT
12/17/73
CC We forgot one item and we need to secure

the ATM C&D coolant loop, so if we could get somebody to go up
to panel 203 and turn it off pump Bravo, we would appreciate it.
CDR Okay, Crip and we've got both floor plates
up, we're going to hit the sack now and we didn't get any
photos of it we got it on television instead.
CC Okay, good work. We appreciate it, Sorry
to have to give you a call again.
CDR No sweat.
PLT Turned Bravos off,
CC Roger, gentlemen, I'll say nighty-night
once more.
PAO This is Skylab Control at - this is
Skylab Control at 4 hours 17 minutes Greenwich mean time.
I can't read the clock. Just - at the just concluded
Tananarive pass we had a few words from the crew to the
ground, let's roll -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI052/I
Time: 23:08 CST 33:05:08 GMT
12/17/73
PAD - 9 GMT. We have the Mission surgeon's

daily report on crew health. Skylab mission day 32, December
7, 197 - December 17, 1973. Crew health remains good. Today
should be the last day of decongestant use by the pilot.
Symptoms were gone but the decongestant was taken prophylac-
tically today as per instructions from the ground. A minimal
rash was noted on the pilot's back and evaluation is con-
tinuing. Signed by Dr. Jerry Hordinsky, Crew Surgeon.
This is Skylab Control at 5 hours i0 minutes Greenwich mean
time.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC 1053/i
Time: 0_:57 CST, 33:09:57 GMT
12/18/73

now in acquisition of signal at the Goldstone tracking antenna.
We have a pass through the United States, lasting another
15 minutes. And the wake-up call should come over the U.S. The
spacecraft communicator at this time is Story Musgrave.
CC Good morning, Skylab. We_ve got you
stateside for 11-1/2 minutes.
CC Skylab, we're about 8 minutes to LOS.
We are GO for your early EREP pass. I've got about four things
for you to do between now and the EREP pass. And after this
stateside pass we won't be seeing you for an hour and 30 minutes.
We_ve got an hour and 30-minute LOS. So if someone could
copy some things down, appreciate it.
PLT Okay, Story. Give me about i0 seconds
and you can start talking.
CC Okay, Bill.
PLT Ready to go.
CC Okay. Panel 206, REG ADJUST, bus 2, rotate
clockwise 10 degrees.
PLT Got it.
CC Okay. And for Ed. On his maneuver pad,
change the SI MODE GMT to 12:15:00.
PLT 12:15:00. Got it Story.
CC Right. That's going back to SI. In the
maneuvers to the SI attitude, The changes will be: X, no change;
Y, minus 0.040, Z_ minus 0°010.
PLT Roger. X, no changel Y, minus 0.040; and
Z, minus 0.010.
CC That's right. And this is to avoid a
zero momentum point going back to SI. And on your photography for -
And we_d like you to also check up there, be sure that you
do have the EREP pad in the teleprinter.
PLT Okay. I just got the pads. I think we've
got the - all the EREP pads that we _ave, last night. Stand
by.
SPT How's that REG adjustment look to you, Story?
CC Okay.
CC And one last thing, Bill.
PLT Go.
CC On your handheld photography out the EREP
window for metropolitan areas, aperture to max, that's F2,
shutter speed i over 125.
PLT Roger. Understand. That's - about 4000 ASA
black and white, right? I'm sure it is, Story. That's the one
they give us a special load on yesterday evening.
CC Stand by i.
SL-IV MC-1053/2
Time: 03:57 CST, 33:09:57 GMT
12/18/73
CC And that's all I've got for you.

PLT Okay, Story.
CC And, Ed, if you're up in the STS, we'd
like you to back off 5 degrees on reg adjust, bus 2. That's
rotate counterclockwise 5 degrees.
PLT Okay, Story, How does that look?
CC We're looking.
CC We're GO, looks _ood.
PLT Anything else?
CC No. That'_s it. We_ll leave you alone
now.
CC Skylab, we're a minute from LOS. Next
station will be Goldstone in about an hour and a half. And
we'll need someone to turn on ATM C&D coolant loop pump
Bravo, prior to bringing up that ATM coolant loop. There's
nothing in your checklist that tells you to do that.
SPT Okay, Story, we've got it.
CC Thanks, Ed.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI054/I
Time: 04:13 CST, 33:10:13 GMT
12/18/73
SPT Okay, Story. We got it.

CC Thanks, Ed.
50 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station has
passed out of range of the U.S. tracking antennas. Our
next aequisition'_s an hour and 19 minutes away at Goldstone.
Spacecraft will make a very low-elevation pass within the
range of the Vanguard antennas. However, it's been determined
that that's not necessary to bring them up. It's very low
elevation below the normal minimum level. Skylah crewmen
Gerald Carr, Ed Gibson, and Bill Pogue are up 2 hours
early this morning at 4 a.m. central standard time to do
an early Earth resources pass down across California and western
Mexico gathering geothermal data on possible areas for
developments as sources of power generation. The data take
on this Earth resources pass along track 63 will begin at
5;31 a.m, for 21 minutes of duration, covering a distance
of approximately 6000 miles. Other data to he taken on the
Earth resources pass will include altimeter data over water
and a check of the accuracy of spacecraft attitude and pointing
for the principal investigators plus some evaluation of sensor
performance. S193 microwave radiometer scatterometer/altimeter
will he used to send signals to the Goldstone tracking antenna
to verify the pointing accuracy. ATM solar studies, Kohoutek
photography_ gypsy moth television, control and display panel
coolant loop troubleshooting and one medical experiment are
scheduled during the day. Another attempt to photograph the
changes in the upper levels of Earth's atmosphere as it is
pierced by a rocket will be made by the Skylab crew this
evening at around 8:42 p.m, as they pass over the Pacific
Ocean. The $201 far ultraviolet electronographic camera
carried up by the crew will be used. The rocket is scheduled
to be launched from Vandenburg Air Force Base in California.
Carr and Pogue will spend several hours today troubleshooting
the solar instrument control and display panel coolant loop
problem. They plan to remove a filter, inspect the filter
for contamination. And if contamination is found, the water -
the water/gas separation device thatts normally used in the
EVA suit coolant loop, will be used to remove contamination
from the coolant. Solar activity today will consider of the
study of solar _ a solar prominence on the northeast limb of the
Sun, under joint observing program number 4. Also to be studied
w_ll be an act±re region in the eastern hemisphere of the Sun
under JOP 25A. Gibson looked at this area briefly yesterday.
A JOP I0 exercise is also scheduled today. This will be to
verify the accumulation of dust particles near the lunar li_
brat!on point to be observed and to determine the density and
SL-IV MCI054/2
Time: 04:13 CST, 33:10:13 GMT
12/18/73
dimensions of the accumulation region. ATM data take today

during seven console sessions will be 5 hours and i0 minutes.
At midday, the crew will record some television of the gypsy
moths. Pogue will be the subject in the afternoon of the
M092/MI71 lower body negative pressure and metabolic activity
medical experiment. Handheld photo options for today, include
the western end of the Sossus Vlei dry riverbed in Southwest Africa
where disrupted dunes can be seen in the Namib Desert and the
northern end of the Namib dunes just south of the Kuiseb
River which enters the Atlantic Ocean at Walvis Bay, Other
handheld photo optional targets are the Atacama Fault in the
Circum Pacific fault zone in the northern part of Chile
along with metropolitan development patterns in the desert city of
Anto _ Antofagasta, Chile. The S163 ultraviolet panorama
camera will be used to photograph Kohoutek today and also
to photograph and measure the ultraviolet brightness of
star fields. Crew will retire at I0 o'clock this evening
and be permitted to sleep an extra hour Wednesday morning.
This is Skylab Control. And hour and a quarter before our
next acquisition of signal at approximately 5:30 central
standard time, It's now 17 minutes and 52 seconds after
the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I055/I
Time: 05:30 CST 33:11:30 GMT
12/18/73
PAO Skylab Control at ii hours 31 minutes.

We're coming up now on Goldstone with the beginning of an
Earth resources pass. We'll bring the line up in case the
crew have already begun their Earth resources activities and
should be on live.
PLT Kill those lights for awhile, if you want
to Jer.
CDR There's nothing to see, we're out over
the water.
PLT Stand by on my mark it'll be 33 minutes.
193 ALTIMETER going ON. Stand by.
PLT MARK. ALTIMETER ON. I have an ALTIMETER
unlock light. Stand by, I'Ii watch it.
PLT ALTIMETER unlock light is OUT. Blinking
now. Staying OUT. Good.
CC Bill, we're reading you loud and clear
and got you stateside 14 minutes.
PLT Good, Story.
PLT Standing by for 33:46.
PLT Okay, READY light came on at 45, REFERENCE
6. Stand by for 34 minutes even.
PLT MARK. SCAT to STANDBY.
CC And, your vehicle is looking good from
down here.
PLT Thank you, Story.
SPT Story, would you clarify that that setting
was a 1.2, I believe you said wide open this morning and I
copied 2.04
CC That's F2 and shutter speed 1/125.
SPT Okay. Thank you.
CDR Okay, I minute to go on the Nadir step.
PLT MARK. ALTIMETER to STANDBY. Stand by.
PLT MARK. 35:24 RADIOMETER to STANDBY at
35:30.
PLT MARK. RADIOMETER ON and standing by for
35:39. /92 MODE to READY. Stand by.
PLT MARK. 192 MODE to READY. Tape motion
green light, good.
PLT ALTIMETER (garble) okay,
CDR MARK at 36, we've started the Nadir step.
CDR Tracking through zero.
CDR Okay, MARK. it's minus 5, going to plus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
SL-IV MC-I055/2
Time: 05:30 CST 33:11:30 GMT
12/18/73
CDR MARK. Minus 5.

SPT Okay, Story, it looks good wide open again
and we're getting some good data
CC Okay.
CDR MARK. Plus 5. Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
PLT Stand by.
PLT MARK. RAD to STANDBY.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT Okay, 16. SCAT, ON; RAD, ON.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
SPT San Francisco sure is impressive.
CDR Nadir.
PLT Getting some good pictures?
SPT Sure am.
CDR (Garble) minus five.
SPT - - got some good coverage for them.
SPT Got every major artery and every small town
along it.
PLT Great. Too bad we didn't have a camera
last night.
CDR MARK. Plus 5. Yeah, boy, I'll say.
PLT Man that's tremendous - that was just a
tremendous view.
CDR Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT And, these things are looking good here,
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Yeah, lots of lights down there.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
SL-IV MC-I055/3
Time: 05:30 CST 33:11:30 GMT
12/18/73
CDR MARK. Plus 5.

CDR Nadir.
PLT MARK. 192 MODE to CHECK.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT Check the tape motion.
PLT Okay.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
PLT Stand by on my mark.
CDR Nadir.
PLT MARK. (garble) DOWNLINK to OFF.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
PLT And, Story, I'd like to confirm one thing.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT I turned the ALTIMETER to STANDBY at 35:18
and I'm not turning it on again til 44:32
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
CC We'll get you an answer.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT - - makes me suspicious.
CC 44:32 is verified, Bill.
SPT Must of picked up a little sunlight.
PLT Stand by for 42:12.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
PLT Stand by.
PLT MARK. 192 MODE to READY. ALTIMETER -
CDR Nadir.
PLT 5. RANGE 65.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CC 44:32 is verified on the ALTIMTER, Bill.
CDR Plus 5.
PLT Roger.
CDR Nadir.
PLT Thank you, Story.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
PLT Everything's looking good.
CDR Nadir.
SL-IV MC-I055/4
Time: 05:30 CST 33:11:30 GMT
12/18/73
PLT Tape recorder's (garble)

CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
SPT MARK. Minus 5.
SPT Sunrise, Story.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
CC Say again.
CDR Nadir.
SPT Sunrise. Completion of photos.
CC Thank you.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
PLT Coming up on 44.
CDR Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT Stand by.
PLT MARK. 192 MODE to STANDBY.
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
PLT -(garble)
CDR Nadir.
CDR MARK. Minus 5.
PLT Stand by. 44:18 on my mark.
PLT MARK. SCAT to STANDBY at - -
CDR MARK. Plus 5.
PLT - 20.
PLT MARK. RAD to STANDBY.
PLT 26.
CDR Nadir.
PLT MARK. RAD, OFF.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I056/I
Time: 05:44 CST, 33:11:44 GMT
12/18/73
PLT On my mark.
PLT MARK. SCAT to STANDBY at 20.
CDR Mark plus 5.
PLT MARK, RAD to STANDBY.
PLT B6.
CDR Nadir.
PLT MARK. RAD OFF.
CDR Mark minus 5.
PLT Stand by.
PLT MARK. ALTIMETER ON. READY light ON green.
CDR Mark plus 5.
PLT ALTIMETER UNLOCK (gArble) at 41.
Show it READY LIGHT.
CDR Nadir.
PLT ALTIMETER UNLOCK light is blinking. It's quit
now, good.
CDR MARK. Minus 5
PLT Still have a READY light.
CDR Mark plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
SPT MARK. Minus 5.
PLT The old altimeter's hanginR in there it
looks like.
CDR Mark plus 5.
CDR Nadir
CDR Mark minus 5.
CDR Mark plus 5.
CDR Nadir.
CDR Mark minus 5
CDR That's the end of the swath.
PLT On my mark 46:10 it'll be REF 2 on 191.
PLT Stand by.
PLT MARK. REF 2.
PLT And Jer, in about i minute I'ii do the
VTS AUTO CAL. I'ii give you a call.
CDR All right.
CC Skylab, we're a minute from LOS. About
i0 minutes to Vanguard. Be dumping the data/voice there.
We'd like a verification that you did go to EREP coolant
valve to flow.
PLT That's affirm. We did, Story.
CC Okay. And we'd like you to go ahead and
enter the maneuver time back to SI, so we can take a look
at it over this station.
SPT Okay.
PLT And I've got an ALTIMETER UNLOCK now.
SL-IV MC-I056/2
Time: 05:44 CST, 33:11:44 GMT
12/18/73
but Istill have a ready light.

PLT Okay, Jer. I need - I'ii get it.
CDR All right. I'ii get it.
PLT Stand by. 47:20 is 15 seconds,
PLT Okay. 5 seconds. Stand by.
PLT MARK. VTS AUTO CAL.
CDR You have it.
PLT Thank you.
PLT (Garble) 15.
PLT Okay. I still have oh,
PLT No. It just went out. The READY light
went out at 26. On the altimeter_ turned it off. I go
to standby in 50 seconds anyway. Now I'ii go ahead and get
a little bit more.
CC You've got a good maneuver time, Skylab.
See you in about i0 minutes.
PLT Okay, Story.
PAO Skylab Control at ii hours 48 minutes
Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station still working through
the end of that Earth resources pass. It's now running out
of the range of the tracking antenna at Texas. Our next acquisition
is about 9_I/2 minutes away at Vanguard. This is Skylab Control
at 48 minutes after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I057/I
Time: 05:55 CST 33:11:55 GMT
12/18/73
PAO Skylab Control at ii hours 55 minutes

and 37 seconds Greenwich mean time Skylab space station
is now coming baCk within range of the tracking antenna aboard
the ship Vanguard which is just off - out of the docks in
its harbor. We're going to bring the line up live for air-
to,ground from the space station.
PLT (Static) country here, isn't it?
CDR Yeah. Look at the stain in the top of
that mountain down there - -
PLT Yes.
CDR That looks like an old volcano.
CC Skylab, we're reading you loud and clear.
Got you for i0 minutes, Vanguard and be dumping the data/voice
here.
SPT Roger, Story.
PLT Great Sun angle for relief here too. Look
at that. Man, look at all that erosion stand out.
PLT 3.
SPT Story, this was another view you would've
liked. San Francisco is really layed out. A sprawling manner
all the waF down the whole Bay area. I think we got some
good shots of San Francisco_ Monterrey, San Joaquin Valley,
and all t_e major arteries and lots of small town along the
way. The (garble) EREP guys ought to be able to use it.
CC Okay, Ed. I'd be thrilled just to look at
the water.
SPT Story, I know that feeling.
PLT Look at the straight line down here, Jer.
Come here. This is not that area where they were looking for
these look over here to the - look at that straight line through
there.
CDR Hank in there, Story. It'll have ah, yes,
almost like a power line or something.
PLT Yeah.
CDR It's manmade though. But it is straight as
a dye. Little town or something along here.
PLT Yeah, here's a major area here. I wonder
what this - a builtup area. Look at all the agricultural area.
CDR Oh, yeah. Major city.
PLT I'm going to take a picture of that because
that looks like a _ maybe a -
CDR Slater map (?) drift off, Ed.
SPT (Garble)
CDR Biggie. Headed down that was last time I
saw it.
PLT 4.
CDR That straight looks like a highway. We're
past the Pan American highway. Okay. Thank you.
SL-IV MC-I057/2
Time: 05:55 CST 33:11:55 GMT
12/18/73
PLT Hey, Jer, this looks like that city they

want us to get a
picture of some time back.
CDR Brazilia? No.
PLT No, no. Not Brazilia. You see that river
down there that funny pattern that you -
PLT (Garble) river down there.
CDR Let's see. That's the Rio Parana (?), I
guess,
PLT Oh_ no. We're too far south.
CDR We're coming out on Montevideo and Buenos
Aires. That area you took a picture of was the northern
Pampas. You can see Montevideo up ahead. Coming up on
swampland there at the left.
CDR Lots of agriculture in here. It's all
bery well layed out. They got a lot of water, good rivers.
And we're coming up on Montevideo. Huge manmade lake right
there below us. Looks like Rayburn or Livingston or one
of those. Be the reservoir for Montevideo
CDR Here.
CDR See right over there?
PLT Oh yeah.
CDR Right out
PLT Yeah.
CDR That current to the north, Patterns down
there.
PLT Okay. That was number 127.
CDR Look out there.
PLT There's 4 and
CDR Now come back here and take some more.
PLT Okay.
CDR Over to the left.
PLT Oh, yeah.
CDR See the dark blue?
PLT Okay. Perhaps if you (garble)
PLT (garble)
PLT Today's straight 52, isn't it?
CDR Right.
CDR (Garble) Right down there between those
two clouds.
PLT Yeah.
PLT Probably going to be difficult to get the
photograph.
PLT Okay.
CDR But (garble) got stopped down. I don't know
whether I should stop it down or - Well
SL-IV MC-I057/3
Time: 05:55 CST 33:11:55 GMT
12/18/73
PLT Begin with 06.

PLT 0 I recorded that the photograph it 06.
PLT Give me a hand. I wish I had better sense
of direction when I see this stuff.
CC Skylab, we're 30 seconds to LOS. It's
about 20 minutes to Tananarive. Your solar activity pad is
in the teleprinter, We uplinked two of them today.
PLT Roger, Story.
SPT Okay, Story. Thank you very much. We're
all absorbed in looking at plankton blooming would you believe,
still way out this far. We're able to follow at a good (garble).
We went over a very good bloom at around 12:06:30.
CDR A whole lot of it out here now.
CC Okay, Ed.
PLT Yep. Now wait a minute now.
CDR They're swirling.
PLT They're up in the (garble).
CDR Sure are.
PLT That looks like a fairly large swirl
pattern there. (garble).
PAO Skylab Control at 12 hours 8 minutes Green-
wicc mean time. Skylab space station is new passed beyond range
of the tracking ship Vanguard. Our next acquisition is about
16 minutes away. That will be Tananarive where we'll have about
a 5_minute pass. The Earth resources pass this morning,
apparentlu went off very well. A predawn pass for the most
part over the west coast, primarily looking for geothermal activity
and also for some weather. This is Skylab Centre.. It's now
9 minutes after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I058/I
Time: 06:24 CST, 33:12:24 GMT
12/18/73

is now coming within range of the tracking antenna at
Tananarive. The pass will last about 5 minutes and the
spacecraft communicator is still Story Musgrave.
CC Skylab, AOS Tananarive 5 minutes.
CC Skylab, we're a couple of minutes from
LOS. About 45 minutes to Goldstone at 13:12.
PAO Skylab control at 12 hours 30 minutes and
now out of range at Tananarive. 42 minutes to our next
acquisition of signal at Goldstone tracking antenna at
Goldstone, California. Earth resources pass, this morning,
was completed successfully. The purpose of that pass was
primarily geothermal energy research. Before most Americans
crawled out of their beds, the astronauts, Jerry Carr, Ed
Gibson, and Bill Pogue, were gathering data to aid scientists
in relieving the Nation's energy shortage. The Skylab crew
pointed the space station's electronic scanners at sites along
a 6000-mile path from the Pacific Ocean more than a thousand
miles west of the Oregon Coast to Equador. The Earth survey,
which included much of California and western Mexico, recorded
the characteristics of well-known geothermal regions where
the Earth's inner heat comes near the surface as superheated
water or steam. Skylab's electronic scanners have already
observed hundreds, of thousands of square miles in the United
States, gathering data on slight temperature variations at the
surface By observing known geothermal areas this morning, Skylab
research may make it possible to spot the best locations for virtually
unlimited sources of energy. The Earth's inner heat is
already used to generate electrical power in northern California
and in several foreign countries, including Iceland, Italy.
Thanks to Skylab's predawn Earth survey, that natural energy
source may some day be available to far more Americans. This
is Skylab control 40-i/2 minutes before our next acquisition
of signal. It's 32 minutes and 18 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I059/I
Time: 07:11 CST 33:13:11 GMT
12/18/73

Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is now west of the
California coast and just about to be acquired through the
Goldstone tracking antenna. This pass through Goldstone will
last about 4 minutes and the spacecraft communicator still on
duty is Story Musgrave. Present time we're beginning our
handover procedure here with Charles Lewis's Flight Team
coming on. We're live now for air-to-ground at Goldstone.
CC Skylab, AOS Goldstone, 4 minutes.
CC Ed, you at the ATM?
CDR That's negative, Story. He's down in the
lower area here, right now.
PLT PLT's up here.
CC Okay, Bill, if you'll float on over to
panel 206, REG adjust BUS 2, counterclockwise 15 degrees,
for post - EREP adjust.
PLT That's complete.
CC Thank you.
CDR Story, I got some data on the EREP C&D
coolant filters.
CC Go.
CDR Okay, I followed the procedures up through
step Delta and have looked at it for debris or microbial growth
and I don't see any discoloration or slime or anything like
that indicating microbial growth. I did find some debris in
there, it looks like little pieces of - well, it looks like
human little pieces of human skin. I took one of the larger
pieces and put it on the end of my finger and let it dry and
then rubbed it with my thumb and it immediately disappeared
into sort of a dry power or just kinda smeared over my finger.
And, what it really looks like is little bits of lubricant
that have gathered together and become sort of a little plate
of lubricant about - and it looks white like a little piece of
skin and when you put it on the end of your finger and let it
dry and then smear it with your thumb, it just kinda disappears
right into your skin.
CC Okay.
CDR Alright, what I found was of less than
a millimeter size. I found five pieces. Of 1-millimeter size,
I found six pieces and I found four pieces of the 2-millimeter
size. And, I would say, considering the surface area of that
filter and the number of pieces I found, I'd say we probably
got a negligible amount of contamination.
CC Okay.
CDR So, my question to you is shall we consider
SL-IV MC-I059/2
Time: 07:11 CST 33:13:11 GMT
12/18/73
the filter clean or do you want to do a flush?

CC Jer, we'd like to stand by on that one,
til Vanguard, that's about 18 minutes from now. We're
30 seconds from LOS. Be dumping the data/voice at Vanguard.
CDR Okay. I've reassembled the filter back
on in case you want us to bring it back or something like
that, and I'll stand by.
CC Thanks.
(]DR Story, I might also add that there was
an awful lot of air in or- some sort of - an awful lot of gas
in the liquid when I disconnected both QDs, I got a lot of
bubbles and foam, at the QD, and when I took the filter barrel
off, there was a lot of bubbles in the water in the barrel.
CC Got it, Jer.
CDR And there are many tiny bubbles entrained
along the long folds in the filter.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab is now out of range of Goldstone
and about 16-1/2 minutes away from Vanguard. During this
pass Story Musgrave was talking with Commander Carr about the
Earth resources and ATM control and display panel coolant loop.
That loop has now been partially disassembled, the filter
removed from it. No microbial growth was discovered in it
but, was discovered on the part of the Commander, who's been
doing the ATM inspection, that some pieces of material, which
look a little like human skin at first, but turn into a powder
and disappear when rubbed. Were found on the system. There
were a total of 15 pieces found, most of them very small pieces.
And, Commander Carr indicated he didn't think that was very much
in the way of contaminant. He did say however, that he saw
lots of bubbles and foam in the system, an indication that
there is a good deal of air in the system. So, right now,
rather than making a quick decision, the environmental officer
here is talking over the possibility of what steps might be
taken with the system and whether or not those small pieces
of material might have been the cause, suspicion right now
is that they are not. 15 minutes away from our next acquisition
of signal. This is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI060/I
Time: 07:33 CST, 33:13:33 GMT
12/18/73
PAO gkylab Control at 13 hours 33 minutes

and 37 seconds Greenwich mean time. We're now just 55 seconds
from acquisition of signal at the Vanguard tracking ship.
The pass through Vanguard will last about ii minutes. EGIL
apparently now made the decision and passed along to the Flight
Director the suggestion that the liquid gas separator be used
to eliminate both the scaling discovered on the filter of
the ATM C&D loop and also to eliminate the gas. Wetre live
now for air-to-ground.
CC Skylab, AOS through the Vanguard for i0
minutes. Be dumping the data/voice here.
CDR Roger, Story and we got an ATM pass to
go here. What about the C&D coolant loop?
CC Okay. We think there may be even more
contamination than just what your seeing there and also we're
quite surprised at having the gas bubbles in there. So we
would llke you to press on with the procedure and do the
flush. As you described and as you feel, there's probably no
microbial buildup there. So you need not go through the IMSS
procedures to get a microbial sample. But we would llke some
kind of sample.
CDR Okay. We'll just save the whole filter.
Now, the next question is, how about ATM? Are we going to
be ending up in a one monitor for 15 minutes mode?
CC That's affirmative, Jerry. You'll have
to llve with those constraints.
CDR Okay.
SPT Story, what is that constraint based on?
Touch temperature?
CC That's touch temperature, Ed.
SPT Okay. I had it on for around 5 minutes
or so here in the beginning to get the first building
block underway and I haven't detected any rise in temperature
at all and I will need it ON for this JOP 4 that we're doing.
And may be longer than a cumulative of 15. And I'm wondering
whether we can just use the touch temperature we experience
here as opposed to a flat 15 total minutes out of the orbit.
CC It sounds good, Ed.
SPT Thank you.
CC And just a reminder. There's no integral
lighting.
SPT Okay. We can do without that easily.
CC And Ed, there's no hurry. I've got some
photography pad for you for the gypsy moths. Any time when
you got a moment to copy.
CC CDR, Houston.
CDR Go ahead.
CC Jer, you've got a family comm over Ascension
SL-IV MCI060/2
Time: 07:33 CST, 33:13:33 GMT
12/18/73
18:42. I will be reminding you prior to that pass. And after

you get done taking a sample out, Bill will take up the flush
on that C&D loop.
CDR Okay.
SPT Go ahead with the photography information,
Story.
CC Okay. Ed, since we didn't get any TV 81
on that on mission day 32, so we're requesting a 35-millimeter
photo. Locate the gypsy moth vials within i foot of a
light, not a high,intensity light. Nikon 03, CI film, 55-mil-
limeter lens, use E-2 adapter, f/2, and i over 160 seconds.
SPT Okay, Story. I'ii give you what I copied
on just a little bit. i foot of a lightp not a high-intensity
light, 55_millimeter, E-2 - which I'm not quite too sure with
(garble) to f setting, of f/2, i/i0 of a second, Nikon 03,
and CI film. And I'll find you a location of the E-2 adaptor
SPT Okay. That's Nikon 02, CI film on the
E-2 adapter, 1/160th of a second.
CC Yeah, Nikon 03.
CDR Houston, CDR.
CC Go ahead, Jer.
CDR Roger. Do you want to use a new filter
now after we flush or do you want to reuse the old filter and
have me take samples out of it?
CC That'll be a new filter, Jer per the
procedure.
CDR Okay.
CC Jer, in reference to the new filter, your
question, that refers to the very end of the procedure, right?
CDR That's affirmative, Story.
CC Okay. We just didn't want you to trouble
to put a new one in at this point, prior to Bill's doing the
flush.
CDR No, I just wanted to make sure, establish
that we weren't going to try to use this filter over again
and I was just going to take samples from it.
CC Okay. And Bill will stow it in step 7.
SPT Okay, Story. I got a couple of things
for you. I guess some questions about the Z-LV maneuver pad
we just had.
CC Okay. Go.
SPT Okay. Under the last fine maneuver, there
was a 52021 omitted and I'm wondering whether that was omitted
off the original pad or we had teleprinter problem. And the
maneuver in SI, I got a consistent Y-dot of minus 0.026,
plus or minus say 0.002. That's in contrast to the 0.04 we
were given. And thirdly, a question you asked me a long time
SL-IV MCI060/3
Time: 07:33 CST, 33:13:33 GMT
12/18/73
ago about vials. We got 4 centimeters from the bottom, filling

three vials from the ED63. That's with most of the plant gowth
removed.
CC Okay. We got that_ Ed and we'd like
two photos of the gypsy moths and the E-2 adapter's located
in F_523.
SPT Two photos and F-523. Thank you.
CC And we're going LOS here. See you over
Tananrive in 20 minutes.
and 40 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylah space station
has now passed out of range of the tracking ship Vanguard.
13 minutes to our next acquisition at Tananarive. During
this last pass, Commander Carr was given instructions to
hook up the liquid gas separator to a - the ATM control
and display panel coolant loop, The purpose of that is
to do a more thorough filtering of the line, also to eliminate
the gas bubbles that were pointed out in the line by
Commander Carr. There was not any expectation that we find
gas in there although to that was considered a possibility. So that
liquid gas separator is now is use. The filter that's normally
in the llne that was taken out and inspected by Commander Carr,
can eliminate particles up in the range of i0 to 20 microns
or about approximately 0°01 of a millimeter. But the
liquid gas separator can pick up particles about one-fifth that
size, extremely tiny particles in the 2 - to 3-micron range.
While the liquid gas separator is in operation on the ATM
control and display panel coolant loop is disengaged, the
touch temperatures of the control and display panel for the
solar instruments may reach undesirable levels. That was the
discussion going on with Ed Gibson who's working at the solar
instruments now. He said that he used the TV for about 5 minutes
and hadn't noticed any increase in touch temperature. The
primary effect of shutting off that control and display
panel coolant loop is to warm up the panel itself. The de-
sired level is set at 105 degrees for touch temperature. To
maintain that temperature, it's necessary to run the TV
monitors only about 15 minutes on each revolution. However_
Ed Gibson will be running them on until he notices undesirable
temperatures at which time he'll shut them down. That should
give us some new information too. At the same time, about what
range we might expect for use of those TV cameras. Present
expectation would be that for the 105-degree level, which is a
very - still a very cool temperature, it would be necessary
to run the TV monitors only one-thlrd of each revolution and only
1 monitor for a 15-minute period. That would limit the
ability of the crew to observe the Sun and also limit their
SL-IV MCI060/4
Time: 07:33 CST, 33:13:33 GMT
12/18/73
ability to point the instruments. At the same time, of course, the

second effect of the ATM control and display panel coolant
loop is to cool the Earth resources tape recorders. That
Earth resources pass has already been completed this morning
successfully with the coolant loop on. Cooling loop was
shut down after the Earth resources pa - -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1061/I
Time: 07:48 CST, 33:13:48 GMT
12/18/73
PAO - - point the instruments. At the same

time, of course, the second affect of the ATM control and
display panel coolant loop is to cool the Earth resources
tape recorders. That Earth resources pass is already completed
this morning successfully with the coolant loop on. The
coolant loop was shut down after the Earth resources pass
for the inspection. It's expected to take several hours for
the cleanout to be completed, using a liquid gas separator.
Only about an hour of crew time is required, but it'll be one
of several passes through the liquid gas separator to attempt to
clean it thoroughly. There is sufficient liquid in the
coolant system. The aceumulator's about 45 percent full, so
there is not a shortage of liquid that's causing the gas.
But gas has, apparently, gotten into the solution, mainly
water, that's run through the coolant loop. i0 minutes to
our next acquisition of signal. Just about 49 minutes after
the hour. This is Skylab Control.
Greenwich mean time. The Skylab space station is now about
55 seconds from acquisition of signal through Tananarive
on the Island of Madagascar. This pass through Tananarive
will last a little less than i0 minutes. We have a handover
going on here in Mission Control. Story Musgrave, the
present spacecraft communicator, is in the process of handing
over to Hank Hartsfield, who'll probably pick up on this
pass, and Charles Lewis is now taking over as Flight Director
for Milton Windler. We're coming up on signal from Tananarive.
And we'll bring the line up live for air-to-ground.
CC Skylab, Houston. We've got you for
8-1/2 minutes through Tananarive. Good morning.
CDR Good morning, Hank.
SPT Hank, I wonder if you could get the ATM
people to clarify something for me, please?
CC Wilco.
SPT Okay. I'm right now, doing JOP 4A, step 4
building block ii. And it says omit 82A. And on the sheet
that I have, 82A was never in that building block. And
I'm wondering whether we've missed a change, or whether
there's an error on the pad?
CC I'll check it.
SPT Okay. And let me tell you what the corona
looks like. The ray, which is right above the prominence
I'm working on, the large prominence at B59, is more extensive
at: the base now. It still looks like a helmet streamer at
the base. It's a very strong streamer, high-intensity
streamer structure all the way out. But it's broader at the
base and appears to have a secondary streamer, relatively
SL-IV MC-I061/2
Time: 07:48 CST, 33:13:48 GMT
12/18/73
small yet, but just a little bit to the south of it, instead
of south of the axis of the major one. The east limb - No,
the west limb:, excuse me, is - doesn't have very much structure
at all except for one fairly prominant streamer at around
2 o'clock, but relatively low brightness.
CC We copy, Ed. And that was a pad error.
SPT Okay. Thank you, Hank. XUV monitor
shows that the three active regions we're concerned about, show
up real well. 00, 01, and also 02 now is showing up as
a distinct brightening in the XUV MON. The rest of the disk shows
the other active regions with relatively low intensity.
It looks as though we've got something good coming around the
corner here.
CC Well, we certainly hope so. And in regard
to your question regarding the Z-LV maneuver, the Y (garble)
question there, we got that out of the simulator at Marshall.
But that's all we can tell you at this point. We're going
to take a look at it. And the mission of the 52021 was
a pad error.
SPT Oh, okay. Thank you, Hank. I'd like to
check those just to make sure we got a teleprinter that's
not beeping out blocks.
CC Roger. That's a good thing to do.
CC Skylab, Houston. This is mainly for the
PLT but it concerns all of you. Based on the SO19 pointing
verification we did on mission day 31, we believe that there's
a 1-1/2 degree bias in the AMS tilt. And we're correcting the
pads for this bias. And this evening in the 183, we plan to
do a pointing check in the SI attitude to verify this. This
check will rule out any possibility that maneuver error is
causing the problem. And we've included two reference spars
on the PLT's S183 pad for today to satisfy this pointing
verification. And there should be, approximately, 6 minutes
of night left for the PLT after the 183 data take to do this
pointing ver, and we'd appreciate you getting that in. And
we are about 45 seconds from LOS. We'll see you at Hawaii
at 43.
SPT Okay. Thank you, Hank. I'm working on the
prominence right now, and we've got an awful lot of good bright
thread structure to work on. It looks like a very useful thing
to be doing right now and the monitor shows it up real well.
CC Roger. We copy, Ed.
over the Indian Ocean and is out of range of Tananarive. 33 min-
utes and 48 seconds before our next acquisition at Hawaii.
SL-IV MC-I061/3
Time: 07:48 CST, 33:13:48 GMT
12/18/73
At the present time, Science Pilot Ed Gibson is at the ATM

console working on solar experiments and indicating that he's
seen some very interesting things on the surfare of the Sun.
He'll be working there a good part of the day. A total of
about 5 hours of ATM activity data takings expected today.
This is Skylab Control at i0 minutes and 15 seconds after
the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I062/I
Time: 08:40 CST 33:14:40 GMT
12/18/73
PA0 Skylab Control at 14 hours 40 minutes and

41 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is over
the North Pacific 2 minutes before we're suppose to have
acquisition at Hawaii. We have had some early signal indications
there, so we're bringing the line up for a pass through Hawaii,
which may last about i0 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're through Hawaii for
9 minutes and for the PLT, when you get a break there in your
checks, we would like to verify that on panel 235, that's up
where the reservoir is, that the coolant - reservoir pressure
valve is open.
PLT Stand by.
CC No rush on that, Bill. Get it whenever
you can and for the SPT. Bill Lenoir standing by for the ATM
conference.
SPT Okay, Bill. Ready, go ahead.

MCC Okay, let me hit you first here with a
couple of solar thoughts. P59, as I'm sure you have observed_
is quite a beauty here on the east limb. We show it about
a 44-degree arc and we're showing Doppler activity on the
north and south extremes. It's moderately quiet in between.
There appears to be some hint of a connection between P59 and
F60, and if that is indeed the fact, then it extends to about
a 70-degree arc, which is quite a long one. Active region 00
has calmed down and appears to be fading somewhat. It has two
small imbedded filiments in it. We're there is some activity
on and off. Active region 02 is new and young, we feel. It's
in the general area of the old 87/92, the big performer on the
last rev_ and one intriguing thought here is the possibility
of a flare or something originating in active region 02 setting
off a chain reaction all up and down the entire prominence 59.
So, that's something that you might keep in mind while you're
looking at the Sun here today. Today's plan obviously -
SPT That has been in mind.
MCC Say again.
SPT That has been in mind. Thinking
back on 1946 (garble). That's very much in mind. Go ahead.
MCC Okay. Today's plan obviously emphasizes
P59 and active region 00. We're getting some double duty out
of our JOP i0. That's serves as both the JOP i0 and the first
step in the JOP 26. The so-called JOP 25 Alfa's again are
performing a JOP 26 duty for us. Our preliminary thoughts on
tomorrow are again to study prominence 59, active region 00,
and the area of 87/92 returning and these were put together
incidentally before 02 was known about and we also have a 2 two-rev
SL-IV MC-I062/2
Time: 08:40 CST 33:14:40 GMT
12/18/73
observation of the comet. Let me give you some time here to

give us some inputs and whatever thoughts you've got.
SPT Okay, Bill. It's pretty much as you
have stated it. I was thinking pretty much along the same
lines. We ought to do some patrol work on active region 00
and 02. 02 shows up quite distinctly as a separate brightening
in XUV monitor. You've got to look at the corona at least
once in order _ with either a shopping list item 2 with a standard
or a quickie. And we certainly ought to be looking at those -
the prominence and studying the (garble) structure and the
spectra. Then we can do a JOP 4, which we've just got done
doing a little bit of and lastly, we ought (garble)
flares, which needs 54 in there mode. And I would appreciate
hearing anything from the ground when activity starts to
pick up again. Always have my eyeballs pretty much
glued onto the prominence (garble) active region and if
anything does start to come off either in the radio range
or a subflare, if we happen to be in anomaly and not see
the PMEC, I would appreciate hearing from you so I could
put a little more attention onto that. The prominence
itself I have seen with - where there's a major arc in it and
I have put a lot on tape in the way of a description. What I did
not get was what filament as you thought it was linked to.
Will you clarify that again, please?
MCC We're not i00 percent sure, but it looks
like it might be connected to filaments 60, that's the one
that's right in front of 02. Between 02 and the 01/00 complex.
There's a hint that it might connect just north of the east
limb there.
SPT Okay. I have looked at the prominence
in H-alpha and I got an excellent view of it up here. I put
most of it on tape, but just in general, I see one, two, three,
four arches and with a lot of long material down to the south
fairly close to the limb, which may be that filament you're talking
of. I'ii take a better look at it, when I get a chance.
MCC Okay, Ed, let's see. We got another
4 minutes. Let me just real quickly brief you on the comet
plans for tomorrow. And, the pointing test that we would
like to embed in that. The plan is, it will take two orbits
right after a momentum dump, we will do the maneuver out
and acquire the comet at the 6 o'clock position for S052.
We will have a 90_degree roll in it and frankly I've forgotten
whether it's plus or minus. We will do the 52 data take there
then we will go into the pointing test. Alpha Scol, affectionately
known as antares, should be in the field of view and we will
SL-IV MC-I062/3
Time: 08:40 CST 33:14:40 GMT
12/18/73
be using that to do the delta pointing test that we let me

get back at in a minute here, for the rest of that orbit, then
we'll sit for the nighttime. The following day pass will
take the 82 and 55 data after having maneuvered the comet
to the center, then we will do the maneuver back. Now the
pointing test, what we would like to do, is we will pass you a
pad that will maneuver Alpha Sco to the 6 o'clock position,
a lot like Mercury was. We will have you put the overlay
on in such a fashion that we think the roll ambiguity should
be taken ont. You can maneuver up/down and we'll give you the
numbers for that. About 30 arc minutes octal, rather that's
0.30 of a degree octal and you should travel parallel
to your up/down lines. If you do not then we ask that you rotate
the grid until you think it'll work. Do the maneuver back
and again see if you're parallel. Repeat that until you do
get parallel, then take a crosstrack left/right and verify
that that's parallel. We will take all those numbers from
you, in particular we hope that will get rid of the roll
ambiguity, we think it should also get rid of some of the
overshoot, so that, hopefully, we'll be able to by just by
rolling that grid, be able to accurately point. This is very
important to 82, obviously they need to point very precisely
at the nucleus. They are willing to give up their data take
time on the following orbit. The second orbit if necessary
in order to fine tune this pointing, in order to assure good
data later. We'll be honing up these precedures today.
Bob Crippen will be running it in SLS this afternoon, we -
hopefully we'll get it up to you tonight before you go to bed
so that you can look at it and I'ii be able to discuss it
with you again tomorrow morning before you do it.
MCC Okay, Hank's got a message for you here,
and then let me get some thoughts from you.
CC Skylab, Houston. We are seeing that the
N2 reg pressure is dropping and it's effecting the mol sieve (garble)
cycle, we_d like to verify that the 150 psi reg A is open and
B is off and if that is not the case, or if that is the case,
we would llke to swap regs. Go to reg B on and reg off A off.
PLT It was off; it's on now.
CC Okay, Ed, go ahead.
MCC Okay, Ed, you can go ahead. We're i minute
from LOS. Vanguard is next in 22 minutes.
SPT Okay, I would like to have a -
at least an hour or so of time to look over that pad and get the
information incorporating into the sheet before I really have to
SL-IV MC-I062/4
Time: 08:40 CST 33:14:40 GMT
12/18/73
start it.
MCC Okay, we'll try to give you that either
tonight or in the morning.
SPT Okay, I hope it doesn't come up too late
tonight. We were up kinda late last night and I'd like to
get a good night's sleep.
MCC Roger. I certainly do appreciate that and
we're going great guns here with a little bit of computer
problems turning it out. One parting thought here that I'm
sure you're already doing, pass on to Bill and Jerry. Anytime
S054 is not operating or whenever they have finished their
operations in a building block, they would be quite happy
to be put into the flare wait configuration of shopping list
31.
SPT Okay. I'ii try to remember that and do it.
The unattended pointing for this orbit. What did 56 really
want to look at? They give me a roll of minus a thousand
and I'm not really sure (static)
MCC Okay, Ed, you're over the hill. We'll
get back to you through Vanguard. I believe they're looking
at the area over by 00.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I063/I
Time: 08:52 CST, 33:14:52 GMT
12/18/73

Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station has passed out
of range of Hawaii. During this pass, Science Pilot Ed
Gibson was given a briefing by Bill Lenoir on the ATM opera-
tions. That's a regular occurrence here in Mission Control,
with discussion of what's being done on the Sun, what changes
are taking place, and some interchange between Science Pilot
Gibson, who':s in charge of the scientific experiments aboard
the space station, and Bill Lenoir here on the ground. 20 minutes
to acquisition of signal at Vanguard. 53 minutes and 22
seconds after the hour, this is Skylab Control.
and 14 seconds Greewnich mean time. The Skylab space station
is now over the Pacific, just to the west of the Coast of
Chile, about to be acquired through the tracking ship Vanguard.
Pass through Vanguard will last about i0 minutes and the
spacecraft communicator is Hank Hartsfield.
CC Skylab 9 Houston. We're through Vanguard
for i0 minutes.
CC And, Skylab_ for your info, we'll be
dumping the recorder here.
CC Skylab, Houston. I think for the PLT,
we had a lot of noise on the loop when you reported about
the valves. I guess, we'd like to know what the position
of the 150 psi N2 regs valves were, and then which one you
turned on?
PLT Hank. They both were off and I turned
A back on.
CC Okay. We copy. Thank you.
CC And, PLT. I assume that on Panel 235,
that the ATM coolant reservoir pressure valve was open.
Is that correct?
PLT That is correct, Hank. And I closed it,
per your instructions.
CC I need - We didn't want it closed. We
just wanted to verify that it was open right there or at the
reservoir.
PLT Okay. I closed it. I'ii open it up
again.
CC That'll help us when we try - when you get
to the part where we're running the pumps and trying to get the
gas out of the system.
PLT Rog_
CC Got a general note here you - all of
you might be interested in. Soyuz 13 spacecraft was launched
at 11:55 Zulu_ this morning. The commander is Piotr Klimuk
and the Flight Engineer is Valentin Lebedev. Both crewmen
are in fine shape and all systems are working well. The
SL-IV MC-I063/2
Time: 08:52 CST, 33:14:52 GMT
12/18/73
purpose of the flight is to explore near Earth space, with

astrophysical studies of stars and study the Earth surfaces.
The flight will also permit evaluation to be made. And
they're maintaining contact with radio and TV with the crew
now.
CDR Roger, Hank. We wish them smooth sailing.
SPT Say, Hank. I think we dropped out at the
end of the last orbit. Clarify the pointing of 55, that
is pointed with the mirror line scan going across the brightest
point of the active region. And also extending off the limb.
The brightest point in H-alpha, anyway.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI064/I
Time: 09:17 CST, 33:15:17 GMT
12/18/73
CC Roger. That is correct, Ed, and we did

that on purpose. We've noticed in some of our data that
on a mirror line scan, or alternate lines, occasionally it
shifts over 2-1/2 arc seconds. And we were just trying
to get some data on that and take a look at it.
SPT Oh, okay. Thank you, Dick. There - there' re
just some good data on the brightest point in that our active
region also.
CC And SPT, Houston, we're just got a
report in there at 14:47 Z. That's about 30 minutes a go.
There's some activity in active region 00. There was a
dark filament beginning to form in the leader.
SPT Okay. Thank you, Dick. Going to be
an interesting next couple of orbits. While I was setting
up the pointing, I took a look at the filament in the promi-
nence for possible inner connections. And the filament, I
believe at 60, extends almost all the way up the - where it
turns and goes out to the prominence - a distance of around
1 arc minute. I could not see a prominence but I - or a fila-
ment, but I can see a filament channel. So maybe there is
a connection there.
CC Roger. We copy, Ed.
LOS. We'll see you at Hawaii at 20, 58 minutes from now.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station has passed out
of range at the tracking ship Vanguard. Our next acquisition
is about 57 minutes away at Hawaii. This is Skylab Control
at 23 minutes and 26 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I065/I
Time: 10:19 CST 33:16:19 GMT
12/18/73

20 seconds. We're coming up on acquisition of signal now at
Hawaii. Skylab spacecraft communicator is Hank Hartsfield
and the Flight Director at the current time is Charles Lewis
We're alive now for air-to-ground at Hawaii.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're through Hawaii for
7-1/2 minutes.
SPT Kog; Hello, Houston. At 16:00 even, we
got a caution tone. The indication on the ATM alert, rate
signaled up on rate gyro number 2 in the y axis. Was calling
up the readout, i and 2 were - within 0 of plus or minus
.002. 3 was 0 plus or minus .005, beneath fluctuation that
were 2 of the 066620_ indicating a wide failure. The - 0 (?)
3 were put back in control of the (.garble) management enable
that were checked, and so far it looks okay.
CC Roger; we copy.
CC SPT, Houston. Could it have been possible
that someone bumped the six pack about the time this happened?
We know you discovered that those things are very sensitive
to being bumped.
SPT Hank, I don't believe so. No one was up
there at the time.
CC Okay, we copy.
PLT Houston, PLT. I have some 183 information
for you.
CC Go ahead, Ed.
CC I mean Bill.
PLT The rotation and tilt on Canopus 225.3,
16.9, on regular rotation is 140.2, tilt 01.8.
CC Roger; we copy. 225.3 and 16.9 for
Canopus. 140.2 and 01.8 for regular.
PLT That's affirm.
PLT ATM C&D loop troubleshooting is
still in progress, but I'm moving along sort of slowly.
CC Okay, Bill, and we see the loop running
now. Are you on the first 15 minute run?
PLT Negative. I'm on the second 15 minute
run and Jerry's up there now. I had to skedaddle because
you can't have any light up there while he's photographing
the comet.
CC Okay, and I might point out that the - when you
get the 2_hour run going on the _ with your timer, that one will
be okay. But when you start the second one, which will be
down around 17:45 or thereabouts_ whenever your timer goes
off, you needen+t to bother to set the timer for the second
SL-IV MC-I065/2
Time: 10:19 CST 33:16:19 GMT
12/18/73
long run, as the Flight Plan calls out for, because we're just
going to let it run until Jerry tears the set up down later
in the day.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI066/I
Time: 10:24 CST, 33:16:24 GMT
12/18/73
CC - - 45 or there abouts whenever your timer

goes off. You needn't to bother to set the timer for the second
long run as the Flight Plan calls out for. Because we're
just going to let it run until Jerry tears the setup down
later in the day.
PLT Okay. Thank you.
LOS. We'll see you at Vanguard at 52 and we're scheduled
to dump the recorder there.
CC And Skylab, for info, about an hour
ago, at 15:30, we had a subfaint flare out of 00. It peaked
about a minute later and no X-ray.
CDR Thank you, Hank.
PA0 Skylab Control at 16 hours 29 minutes
has passed out of range of the tracking antenna on the
Hawaiian Islands and we're a little more than 22 minutes
until acquisition at Vanguard. During this pass, Science
Pilot Ed Gibson informed the ground that he got a caution
alert at 16:00 Greenwich mean time, about a half an hour
ago. The caution and alert indicated an integral test
failure rate in rate gyro in the Y-axis. That's a malfunction that
may be due to a number of things. The rate gyro is some-
thing that's used to measure the drift of the space station.
And information from the nine rategyro scopes are used to
determine what changes are necessary to make - necessary
to be made in attitude and then they - that through the computer
instructs the movement of the control moment gyros. The rate
gyroscopes, six of them were replaced on the last mission
after we had a number of variations in the performances of
some of the original nine. The crew was asked that they
possibly bumped into that six-pack which is located in the
multiple docking adapter section of the space station. Their
reply to that by Science Pilot Gibson was no, that no one was in
that area of the space station at the time. However, according
to the guidance officer here in Mission Control all six of
the rate gyroscopes located in the MDA showed some larger
than the normal integrals which would indicate that whatever
variation is affecting the Y-axis gyro that caused that in-
tegral test failure may also be affecting all six of the
rate gyroscopes in that six-pack that was installed in
the MDA. The others of course are located elsewhere.
No immediate problem with that. The one gyroscope which
was giving the inaccurate reading and causing the integral
test failure was taken off-line by Ed Gibson using the computer
on the space station. The remaining two are sufficient operate
it, and that in fact is a normal means of operation. One of them
SL-IV MC-I066 /2
Time: 10:24 CST 33:16:24 GMT
12/18/73
is eliminated from consideration and the other two are used

as guidelines. However, there is some sort of a fluctuation in
the performance of the drift measuring gyroscopes, There'll
be some looking into that in the next hour or so. These are
of course not directly connected to the control moment gyroscopes
except through the computers. The control moment gyroscope
number 2, which had given us some glitches several days ago
is performing very well at this time. No changes at all
noticeable on its wheel speed or its current over the last
i0 or 12 hours. And it is now in the cooling-off cycle where -
with the bearings moving down to the lower 60-degree range again
where the previous glitches have occurred. We reach that lower
temperature range about once every 12 hours. Also, in this last
pass the crew was informed that a subflare has been observed
at 15:30 Greenwich mean time, an hour ago in active region
00. No X-rays reported from that area by the satellites
in orbit above the Earth. And at this time the ATM control
and display panel coolant loop is being filtered on a second
run of ]5 minutes through the liquid gas separator. Bill
Pogue is - -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I067/I
Time: 10:32 CST, 33:16:32 GMT
12/18/73
PAO The subflare has been observed at

15:30 Greewnich mean time, an hour ago, in active region 00.
No X-rays reported from that area by the satellites in orbit
about the Earth. And at this time, the ATM control and dis-
play panel coolant loop is being filtered on a second run of
15 minutes through the liquid gas separator, Bill Pogue
is monitoring that. Later in the day that'll be run for two
hours through the liquid gas separators, a series of cleansing
procedures to eliminate some contamination that was discovered
in there earlier this morning. Very very slight amount of
contamination, but also a considerable amount of gas located in
the coolant loop, so that water filled coolant loop is now being
purified by using a device which is normally used with EVA
equipment, a liquid gas separator for reducing the
particles down to a level of about 2 microns. 19 minutes to our
next acquisition of signal and 33 minutes after the hour. This
is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I068/I
Time: 10:50 CST, 33:16:50 GMT
12/18/73

and 52 seconds Greenwich mean time. We're now approaching
acquisition at the Vanguard tracking ship, where we'll have a
lO-minute pass. Talking to the guidance officer since
that last pass, he says that he's pretty confident that the
problem with the rate gyroscopes was a crew member bumping
the gyroscopes. And it could have happened up to 45 minutes
before that was observed. We have AOS at Vanguard, and
we'll give you some more discussion after the pass.
CC Skylab, Houston through Vanguard for
10-1/2 minutes. And we'll be dumping the recorder here.
CC Skylab_ Houston. No need to acknowledge.
For info, the launch tonight has been scrubbed. So $201
will be scrubbed. We're gonna get you to bed an hour early. And
later on today_ we'll give you a few small Flight Plan changes
to accomodate that.
CDR Very good, Hank.
CC And CDR, if you can answer while you're
PT'n there, to help us get tomorrow's Flight Plan squared away,
we had Originally scheduled you to get up an hour late. How
would you feel about getting up on time and having a more
relaxed morning with one addition, and that would be since
the Sun is active, we wouldn't - If Ed is willing, we'd
like to get in an ATM pass.
SPT Good idea for me, Hank.
CDR Yeah. I think that's okay, Hank. We'll
probably all want to go to bed early tonight.
CC Roger. Our plan is to get you to bed
an hour earlier than normal tonight. And up on time tomorrow
morning.
CDR I think that would probably work out
fine.
LOS. Ascension at 07.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI069/I
Time: Ii:00 CST, 33:17:00 GMT
12/18/73
PAO Skylab Control at 17 hours i minute and

41 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station has
passed out of range of Vanguard. We're 5 minutes from acquisition
at Ascension. Guidance officers reviewing the data on telemetry
from the intergal test failure that was reported by Science
Pilot Ed Gibson at 16:00 when he got a crew alert about an
hour ago, indicates that there's strong evidence that the rate gyro
six pack which is located in the multiple docking adapter was
bumped by a member of the crew. A very slight bump would be
sufficient to cause a variation in the performance for the rate
gyroscopes although it would be a very brief change. Guidance
officer says that it eould've happened as much as 45 minutes
earlier although it's a little difficult determining exactly
when it might have happened, The way the system works
now is that rates are compared between two gyroscopes and
differences are accumulated in a register in the computer
are added up as the rates vary then the differences are added
up during a 45 minute period, about half a revolution. And
then at the end of that half revolution, they're zeroed and
they begin accumulating again. If the accumulation passes
a given level at any point in the revolution - in the half
revolution - then the - one of the two active gyroscopes is switched
off and the lower one remains on line and at that time you get
a caution and warning. That did happen during - at 16:00,
there was a caution and warning given. One of the two gyroscopes
that was on line was shifted off and the lower numbered one_
number 2 in this case, in the Y-axis, was left in control.
Ed Gibson went up to the control panel and at time he looked
at the displays and apparently got no differences in the
readings of the gyroscopes which of course, would happen after the
bump. The gyroscopes had once again regularized their behavior and
their readings were very stable and appeared to be the same.
That that led him to believe that there was no problem and he
went back to the original mode which said, no integral test
failure. In other words, there was no major difference. So
they went back to operating on two gyroscopes. Previous to
the installation of the six pack, the system operated with a
computer selecting the two of the best three. The two best
of the three gyroscopes in each axis. The way it operates
new is that two axis - two of the gyroscopes are permanently
selected in each axis and should there be a large difference
between their behaviors, then the lowered number one is always
selected automatically. So it appears that that problem was
a very brief one and no problem really at all. But very likely
due to a just slight disturbance of the rate gyro six pack by
the GNS suggests possibly just one of the crew members bumping
it slightly. He says there's no other explanation that fits
SL-IV MCI069/2
Time: ii:00 CST, 33:17:00 GMT
12/18/73
the facts that he can see at this time. All of the six rate
gyros did show a variation in rate for a very brief period
of time. So that problem has been very easily solved. At this
time, the ATM control and display panel coolant loop is still
being checked out by the crew. Earlier this morning, an in-
spection was done of the coolant loop and that inspection
showed that there was some very - there were some very
small pieces of material in the coolant loop and that material
apparently it seems to be like a lubricant. That was the way
it was described by Jerry Carr this morning. The lubricant
apparently accumulates in patches of from approximately less
than a millimeter to - up to about a little larger than 2
millimeters in size. Pieces that he described as looking a
little like human skin, but when it dries out, it powders and can be
rubbed into the skin and disappear. So that wasn't didn't seem
like much contaminant to Jerry Carr but EGIL here in Mission
Control suggested that it could be a lot - indication of a
lot more in the lines so they did do the liquid/gas separation.
Two 15-minute runs, essentially completed at this time. They
will then connect it once more for an additional run through
the liquid/gas separator. Each one, of course, getting a little
bit finer cleaning out and eliminating more and more of the
gas that was also discovered in the line. That last run will
be allowed to go on until Commander Jerry Carr is ready to
put the system back together again and get it running. During
that period, pressure does come up somewhat and we run it
through the liquid/gas separator and then it's shut down and started
up. It has run through two 15-minute periods already and
there will be one long period left to be - left to be scheduled.
At this time, there is some flow in it. So that indicates the
second 15-minute run is well underway apparently and Bill Pogue
has been monitoring that run of the liquid/gas separator to
clean out the air
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1070/I
Time: 11:06 CST 33:17:06 GMT
12/18/73
PA0 - the gas separator and then it shut

down and started up. It has run through two 15 minute periods
already and there will be one long period left to be scheduled.
At this time there is some flow in it, so it indicates that
second l_-minute run is still underway apparently, and Bill
Pogue has been monitoring that run of the liquid gas separator
to clean out the air bubbles and the small amount of lubricant-
like contaminante that was discovered in the line. The line
uses water, primarily, with some additives in it. Coming up on
acquisition of signal now. Hank Hartsfield is the spacecraft
communicator. This pass through Ascension Island will last
approximately 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
CC Skylab, Houston. Through Ascension for
6-1/2 minutes.
SPT Rog; Hank.
CC PLT, Houston. On your upcoming ATM pass
at 17:55, we have scheduled a NuZ update and we would like
to leave the star tracker tracking all of that daylight cycle,
if it - through about 18:45, so that we can get some Z-axis
drift data.
PLT Okay. I'll leave it tracking through 18:45.
CC That's affirmative. We appreciate it and
don't worry about if you do forget it, we'll remind you at
Ascension to close her up.
PLT Thank you very much.
PLT (Garble) how that coolant loop's looking.
CC Flow rates a little low, but it's not
totally unexpected. That filter's a little finer than the
regular C&D filter and looks okay right now.
PLT Rog.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're 1 minute from LOS.
We'll see you at Vanguard at 18:29, that's an hour and 15 min -
an hour and 16 minutes from now.
PLT Roger. An hour and 16.
Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station has passed out of
range of Ascension and we're beginning a revolution that's going
to take about an hour and 15 minutes to get us to Vanguard.
During this last pass, continuing with the ATM coolant loop
cleanout, using the liquid gas separator that's normally
used with space walk equipment. As they pointed out, the flow
is rather low on the liquid gas seperator. That's mainly due to
the fact that it has a filter that filters to the 2-to-3
micron size, where the regular filter used in the line itself
SL-IV MC- i070/2
Time: 11:06 CST 33:17:06 GMT
12/18/73
is of the 10-to-20 micron size. In other words it accepts

particles of approximately 5 to i0 times as large. That flow
is reduced by that, but on the other hand the flow has been
coming up steadily which would indicate that it is being
cleaned out by the liquid gas separator. It's gone up about
i0 to 15 pounds during the last 20 or 30 minutes. So that
process is continuing and then it will be cleaned out during
a 3 stage operation. 15 minute - Two 15 minute periods and
then a longer period, 2 hours or more, when the final filtration
is done. That should eliminate the gas from it and also the
suspended particulate matter. About and hour and a quarter
before we have another acquisition of signal. This is Skylab
Control at 16 minutes and 12 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-1071/I
Time: 12:28 CST, 33:18:28 GMT
12/18/73

Greenwich mean time. The Skylab space station now 55 seconds
from acquisition at the Vanguard. Spacecraft communicator
at this time is Hank Hartsfield. The pass through Vanguard
will last a little more than ii minutes,
CDR Houston, Skylab. How do you read?
CC Roger. Reading you loud and clear now.
We've got about i0 minutes through Vanguard.
CDR Okay. I'm about ready to start that
water dump.
CC Okay. Let her rip.
CDR Okay. It's open.
CC We copy.
CC CDR, Houston. Are you free to copy an
update for the Flight Plan this evening?
CDR Roger. Go ahead.
CC Okay. As we said earlier this applies
to everybody. We want you to all go to bed at 03:00 this
evening. And to get your Flight Plan up to date, since we're
not putting 201 in, at 23:51 on your Flight Plan, where we
have you scheduled for 201 prep, we would like to make that
an SO19 prep i. But do not do the film install. We'll do that
tomorrow. And you might change both your Flight Plan and
your details to reflect that. And in addition you have a NuZ
update on your details at 03:38. We'd llke to delete that,
we're gonna give that to the SPT.
CDR Okay. Good enough, Hank.
CC And I do have a couple of changes
for the SPT. I'll try to get those to him when he's free
through with this TV 120 a little later in the day.
SPT Good enough.
CC And, for info for the PLT, there'll be
no change for his Flight Plan, other than going to sleep
at 03:00.
CDR He copied that, Hank.
CC Did he just turn the coolant pump off?
PLT That's affirm.
CC Okay. Had us worried there for a minute.
We saw it drop to zero.
PLT Okay. B's coming on shortly.
I Just switched to tape recorder coolant on.
CC Okay, Real good. This will be the last
run until, I guess, Jerry tears it down later in the evening.
CC And for your info, the last run, the
flow rate, slowly moved up. We're not sure exactly why. Until -
when we acquired you at this station, it was steady at like a
prelaunch value. We hadn't seen it this high the whole mission.
SL-IV MC-I071/2
Time: 12:28 CST, 33:18:28 GMT
12/18/73
SPT Flushing is one of Bill's fortes.

CC (Laughter) Roger.
CC Skylab, Houston. We noticed that there've
been about nine sequences on SO54 run off, since we saw you last.
Does anyone have any comments on that?
PLT Yeah. I_ll have to fess up. I was set up at
high 56. Excuse me, 64. And I thought I was doing a 256
and my Sun centered JOP. So I did it.
CC Roger. We copy.
PLT (Garble) lighting is a bit off, by the way.
I heard some talk about it earlier and it sort of makes the
panel difficult to read, at least for me. Is it okay if
I turn that back on?
CC That's Roger, Bill. We've got the loop up right
now, and so you can use the panel normally.
PLT Okay. I wasn't sure if it was giving us
enouKh cooling use. But from what you said earlier, I guess
it's functioning fairly well.
CC Roger. It looks real good.
CC And for info, Skylab, there's a message
we just sent up on - new message on 82B film schedule.
CDR Hank, my phone call's at 42, is that right?
And which antenna?
CC We're checking that antenna right now.
CC Roger_ Jet. That's 18:42 at Ascension.
And it is right to left.
CDR Okay. Thanks.
CC And, SPT, if you're free to comment, we'd
like to know if the message we sent up in regard to TV-120
helped you set it up?
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI072/I
Time: 12:39 CST, 33:18:39 GMT
12/18/73
CC - - TV 120 helped you set it up.

SPT Ha k, you mean TV 120?
SPT Okay, that's justing (?) work right now, Hank
and I'ii have to do it in bits and snatches throughout the
day here.
CC Okay. Well, we sent up the message, you know,
in regard to the close-up lense and we're just wondering if
that was satisfactory and helped you out okay.
SPT Okay. I got a verbal information on
the close-up lens early this morning. Is there something on
the teleprinter now?
CC Okay. The message was within 3338 Alfa
and it was entitled, "General Message: TV 120."
SPT Yeah. Okay. I got that Hank. I see that.
I'm just working on step i right now and I got the other stuff
verbally this morning. And I see exactly what was given (garble)
works okay and (garble).
CC Okay. We're going over the hill, now.
We'll see you at Ascension in about 2 minutes.
the South Atlantic out of range of Vanguard and just about a
minute and 45 seconds from acquisition at Ascension. During
this pass_ Jerry Carr credited Bill Pogue's work in cleaning
out the cooling system by saying that flushing is one of Bill's
fortes. The ATM control and display panel coolant line which
is filled with water and some additives_ is still being cleaned
and showing prelaunch flow rates there at the beginning of
that pass. However, those levels, about 290 to 295 pounds
per hour are about in a neighborhood of 20 percent higher
than the standard maximum flow rate as of a few days ago,
indicate that the system is getting substantially cleaned out
by the process there be - that is now being followed. However,
during this pass, we brought on another part of the system, the
Earth resources tape recorder part of the system, and we did
get some variations and are still getting some variatations
in the flow rate. Mostly at a very high level; however, at
present, its flow rate is running about 10 percent above the
standard. It has been varying during the last few minutes
from about 5 to 15 percent above it standard maximum flow rate
as of a few days ago. So that looks like the problem may be
solved here but the system is - does seem to be getting cleaned
out by the liquid gas separator. We're about 30 seconds from
acquisition of signal at bring We'll brbring the line up
live for air-to-ground there. The pass will last approximately
i0_i/2 minutes.
CC Skylab, Houston through Ascension for
i0 minutes and -
SL-IV MCI072/2
Time: 12:39 CST, 33:18:39 GMT
12/18/73
CC And SPT, Houston. There's no need to

acknowledge, but if you get a chance to copy the update to
your Flight Plan this pass, just give me a call. If not,
it's okay. I'll catch you later.
CC Skylab, Houston.
PLT Go, Hank.
CC Is the CDR trying to make his private call?
The COMM TECH reports we're not getting anything down.
PLT Stand by.
CDR Houston, this is Skylab. How do you read?
CC Roger. Loud and clear. Go ahead, Jer.
CDR Okay. I'm not getting them on VHF at all
and I'm properly configured.
CC 0
CDR Both antennas -
CC Okay. We're checking. The COMM TECH
just reported to me that we were having a problem. We weren't
getting anything down from the bird.
CDR Okay. Houston, Skylab. How do you read?
CC I'm reading you loud and clear.
CC PLT, Houston. We've got all the data we
need on the star tracker. You're clear to close the shutter
now. We thank you.
PLT Roger.
SPT Okay, Hank. Go ahead with the checklist
for the Flight Plan, please.
CC Okay, Ed. The - we cancelled the CDR's
NuZ update and we_d like for you to pick that up if you want
to put that on your details. It's 0229 to 0239.
SPT Okay, Hank. I got it.
CC And on the ATM pass you have at 01:37, it's
your option. You can make that a complete daylight pass in-
stead of a partial. The alternate ATM schedule pad that we
sent you covers the complete pass.
SPT Okay, Hank. Thank you.
LOS. We'll see you at Guam at 26 and we're scheduled to
dump tile data recorder there.
CDR Roger, Hank.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I073/I
Time: 12:52 CST 33:18:52 GMT
12/18/73

the coast of Africa and out of range of the tracking antenna
at Ascension. 33 minutes to our next acquisition of signal
at Guam. During this pass, flow rate seems to have stablized
pretty much on the ATM control and display panel coolant loop.
That water filled loop is running right now about 270 pounds
of flow. That's quite a bit higher than we had as the standard
flow rate since the beginning of the Skylab activity on the
first mission. Before launch the flow rate was about 300
pounds per hour, but since launch, it's been averaging right
around 250 pounds per hour. Today it's up to 270, after being
run through the liquid/gas separator. It's expected that
that might rise again as it had on the previous configuration
of the loop and the loop is of course now being used to cool
the ATM panel as it normally would do. Expect that that may
mean a good results on that coolant loop which had fluctuated
some since the beginning of this Skylab mission. This is
Skylab Control. 32 minutes to our acquisition at Guam. It's
now 54 minutes and 24 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI074/I
Time: 13:25 CST, 33:19:25 GMT
12/18/73

54 seconds from acquisition at Guam. The pass there will last
a little more than i0 minutes. At the present timep the
spacecraft communicator is Hank Hartsfield, and Flight Director
Charles Lewis is still on duty here in Mission Control. We're
live now at for air-to-ground at Guam.
CC Skylab, Houston through Guam for l0 minutes
and as a reminder, we're dumping the recorder here.
CDR Roger, Hank. We're on ATM coolant pump
Charlie right now. At about 33, pump Bravo started setting up
a real whine. And I got curious. I thought l'd try to see
what pump Charlie would do in the same situation. Shifted
pumps, and it's running nice and quiet. Would you like to go
back to B and see what happens?
CC Stand by, and we'll talk about it a little
bit, Jer.
CDR Okay. I did not have a DELTA-P light.
Just a lot of noise.
CC Roger. We copied.
CC CDR, Houston. We'd like to go back and
try pump pump Bravo again. And also on the C&D panel, we'd
like to get the H-ALPHA 190 INTERLOCK switched to NORMAL.
CDR Okay. Okay. It's back on and kind of
noisy.
CC Jerry, could you verify the time you gave
us 33. It was between - on our Vanguard site last rev. Is
that correct?
CDR No, it was 23. It was about 5 minutes
ago. 7 minutes ago.
CC Okay. I didn't copy correct. 23. Under-
stand.
CDR I probably said 33.
CC CDR, Houston. Pump looks real stable to
us now. How does it sound?
CDR It's still pretty noisy. A pretty loud
howl. But it's - it's on undulating or anything like that.
It's just a higher noise level than Charlie.
CC Roger. We copy.
CC Skylab, Houston. We're about 40 seconds
from LOS. We'll see you at Canaries at 27, about 30 minutes
from now. Correction, make that 50 minutes.
CDR Roger.
passed out of range of the antenna at Guam. Our next acqui-
sition of signal would be expected at Vanguard, 28 minutes away,
SL-IV MCI074/2
Time: 13:25 CST, 33:19:25 GMt
12/18/73
but CAP COMM indicated that we'll be moving on to Canary Islands

which is still 50 minutes away. Here in this last pass, got
a report on the operations of the ATM cool coolant loop for
the control and display panel. Commander Carr indicated that
about 5 minutes before the pass began, about 19:23 Greenwich
mean time, the pump B which was on line, Bravo which was on
line, in the ATM loop, which is now being filtered, began to
whine and he switched to pump C. Readings on Pump C indicated
it was flowing well - not so well as Pump B. The flow on
pump C was about 280 pounds per hour. That's well above the
normal operating flow level, which means that the system seems
to be performing better now than it has since it was launched.
When he pump Pump B was brought back on line during this
pass and Bravo performed even better than C had. Pump B now
putting out about 295 pounds of - flowing about 295 pounds
through the line every hour. That 295 pounds translates to
something over 35 gallons an hour of flow. No indication
here as to whether that noise is anything to worry about.
It does not appear to be. The flow in the line seems to be
excellent, much better than it has been since the space station
was launched. About 15 to 20 percent higher flow rates than
have been experienced since the prelaunch period. Also the
Guidance Officer reported to Flight Director Charles Lewis
during this period right before the last pass that after re-
viewing carefully the computer data from historical tapes,
he is now going to revise his judgement that a crew member
might have bumped a six pack of rate gyros. The rate gyroscopes
earlier today gave an indication of an integral test failure
which shows that two of the rate gyroscopes did not agree
sufficiently with each other; and that caused a crew alert at
16:00 Greenwich mean time today. At that time, he reported
that it looked to him as if it was probable that a crew member
may have bumped the six packs since he thought he saw some varia-
tion in the rates of all the gyroscopes in the multiple docking
adapter. Those rates varying from therates put out by the
original rate gyroscopes which are outside the space station.
However, now after looking over that data, he says that it
turns out that only one rate gyro actually put out an irregular
rate and that was rate gyro Y-3, which is the third rate gyro
in the Y_axis and that was the cause for the caution alert at
16:00_ when Science Pilot Ed Gibson went - -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV b1C-i075/i
Time: 13:40 CST, 33:19:40 GMT
12/18/73
PAO - - which is the third rate gyro on

the Y-axis and that was the cause for the caution and alert
at 16:00. When Science Pilot Ed Gibson went back up to look
at that integral test failure, to determine what the problem
was, he found that the rates had all settled down and once
again were in agreement with each other. So he switched
rate gyro Y_3 back on line. We heard no further problems
at all on that rate gyroscope. However, a review of that
indicates that there was an unexplained variation in the
performance of that gyroscope which is used to measure the
drift of the space station away from its attitude. It is
not, however, related in any way to the command control
moment gyros, which are large - much larger gyroscopes
primarily used for attitude control. The rate gyros merely
measure the drift and that feeds information to the computer,
which is then used to command the control moment gyros, which
modify the attitude. So the rate gyros are a completely
different area did - One of the rate gyros, one of nine
existing ones put out an irregular rate for a short period
of time, about 16:00 Greenwich mean time, or shortly before.
That problem has gone away and there is no explanation for
it yet. But it appears now that previous belief which was
that the six pack, might have been bumped accidentally, in
the period right before the alarm, has not been verified
after a review of the computer tapes. This is Skylab Control
24 minutes and 42 seconds to our next acquisition, if we
pick up Vanguard. 45 minutes away at Canary Island, and
we'll see if we can't get you better instructions on that.
It's now 41 minutes and 43 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I076/I
Time: 13:44 CST 33:19:44 GMT
12/18/73

Greenwich mean time. Came back up to give you a report on
the Vanguard pass. That pass which was approximately
22 minutes away. It has been cancelled to give the crew of
the Vanguard tracking ship a rest. They have had a great
many passes over the last period of time over a good many
hours since early this morning and they are being let go for
the final pass of the day and give a chance for the Vanguard
crew to get a little bit of rest. So that Vanguard pass has
been cancelled. Our next acquisition is now 32 minutes and
25 seconds away. Correction, that's 42 minutes and 20 seconds
away at Canary Islands. This is Skylab Control at 44-1/2 minutes
after the hour,
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI077/I
Time: 14:25 CST, 33:20:25 GMT
12/18/73
PAO Skylab Control at 20 hour 25 minutes

is now 50 seconds from acquistion at Canary Island. The
pass through Canary Island and Madrid tracking station will
last approximately 15 minutes. We'll bring the line up live
for air-to-ground through Canary Island and Madrid. The
Flight Director is still Charles Lewis although Don Puddy
has come into Mission Control center and spacecraft communi-
cator is Hank Hartsfield.
CC Skylab, Houston through Canary and Madrid
for 13-1/2 minutes.
CDR Roger, Hank.
CDR Houston, CDR. Do you want the MIRROR in
line 25 or line i0?
CC We'll check it.
CC Like to get that on a line 25.
CDR Okay, and you want - I guess according
to the pad you want it left in MIRROR LINE SCAN rather than
STOP?
CC Skylab, Houston_ we'll be handing over
to Madrid in a minute or 2. And we'll be dumping the data
recorder.
CC CDR, Houston, we'd like to get a MECHANICAL
REFERENCE at 0102.
CC CDR, Houston_ to clarify that last call
since we're in MECHANICAL REFERENCE, we want that rather
than the pads all zip there. We need 0102.
CDR Say_ again, I was recording, Hank.
CC Okay, on the pad for closeout there,
we give you a grading of all zips and because we've got
MECHANICAL REFERENCE that should be 0102.
CDR Okay.
CC Skylab_ Houstonp we're i minute from LOS.
We_ll see you at Guam at 21:06, and that's 27 minutes.
CC And CDR_ Houston_ no need to acknowledge
but when you get back to the C&D loop troubleshooting, we'd
like to get a check on the reservior there - level.
CDR Roger.
CC We're just curious if all this flushing
took any out of the reservior.
over eastern Europe and has gone out of range of the tracking
antenna at Madrid. Our next acquisition is 25 minutes away
at Guam. During this last pass at the very end of the pass,
Spacecraft Communicator Hank Hartsfield, asked Commander
Gerald Cart if he had an opportunity to take a look at the
SL-IV MCI077/2
Time: 14:25 CST, 33:20:25 GMT
12/18/73
reservior level on the ATM Control and Display panel coolant

loop. That check is to determine whether or not the reservior
level, which is about 45 percent full, has gone down now
that the gas has been separated out of the coolant loop
fluid. That fluid is primarily water with some addativies.
Present time pump B flowing in the coolant loop, we're having
the hi_hest levels that have ever been seen since the
Skylab space station was launched, a flow which indicate the
system is extremely clean now. And that certainly seems to
be a very very good sign for the performance of that loop
which is essentially keeping touch temperatures down on the
solar instruments panel. Touch temperatures are allowed to
go to 105 degrees, but without the coolant loop the temperatures
would rise above that level unless the TV monitors were
left off for a part of each pass. So, the fact now that
it's running nearly 300 pounds per hour pressure, which is
an indication of better than 35 gallons of coolant flowing
through the line each hour, is certainly a good sign. That's
the highest level, as I said, since prelaunch measurements
were made. Prelaunch it was flowing at approximately the
same level it's flowing at now, After launch it dropped
immediately to about 250 pounds per hour, and it had run - at
it's peak had run at the 250 pounds per hour level. Recently,
we've had a number of fluctuations during which the
flow rate had dropped to zero a number of times and also a
two varying points between 0 and 250 for periods up to
several minutes, Present time it is flowing smoothly at
300 without variation - fluctuation on pump B. And it is
expected that pump B and pump C are both operating well
enough now to be kept on line, A little bit of whining
earlier when the pump was operating but that doesn't appear
to be a malfunction of any kind. The flow looks too
good for that, at least that's the expectation right now
from the Environmental General Instrumentation and Life
Support Systems Engineer here at Mission Control. Tomorrow
Skylab crew will be making their first taking their first
look at the comet Kohoutek through the Skylab's solar
instruments, at instruction of JOP 18B is set for tomorrow
at - during the period from approximately 16:00 to about
8 a little after 8 -
END OY TAPE
SL-IV MC-I078/I
Time: 14:43 CST 33:20:43 GMT
12/18/73
PAO instruments at instruction of

JOP 18D is set for tomorrow at during the period from approxi-
mately 16:00 to about little after 18:00 Greenwich mean time,
tomorrow morning . That's between about 10 and 12 Houston
time in the morning. JOP 18D, which will use several of the
instruments to point at the comet Kohoutek will be the first
time those instruments have ever been pointed in that direction
and it had been delayed a couple of times. First because the
comet had not proven as bright as scientists had expected and
it was felt the data wouldn't be quite up to standards and then
it was delayed again from yesterday to today to gain an additional
opportunity to gather data on the absorption spectra of a
star. One problem that was indicated with that maneuver a small
one which has pretty much been cleared up is the 3 small bursts
of thruster attitude control system gas were expected in the run.
They are however, during the pointing test and the solar officer
here in Mission Control said that that shouldn't pose any
problem at all, they'll take that in to account in their cal-
culations of the pointing. So that JOP 18D, the first comet
observations with solar instruments is scheduled for tomorrow
morning. This is Skylab Control 21-1/2 minutes to acquisition
at Guam, it is now 45 minutes after the hour.
END OF TAPE"
SL-IV MCI079/I
TIME: 15:05 CST, 33:21:05 GMT
12/18/73

is now approaching acquisition of signal through the
tracking antenna on Guam. Spacecraft communicator is
still Hank Hartsfield, however Don Puddy has now taken
Charles Lewis' place as flight director. The pass through
Guam will last approximately 4 minutes and we'll bring the
line up live now for air-to-ground there.
CC Skylab, Houston through Guam for
3 minutes.
CC CDR, Houston, how did the reservior look
when you've got the chance to look at it there?
CDR Say, again Hank.
CC Roger, wondering if you had a chance to
look at the ATM C&D coolant reservior - with the level of the
fluid.
CDR I'm just on my way up there.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're about i minute from
LOS. We'll see you at Honeysuckle at 16 and CDR we'll check
on that reservior then and we also got one other task on
the condesate system.
PAO Skylab Control at 21 hours ii minutes
and 41 seconds Greenwich mean time. The Skylab Space station
has now passed out of range at Guam. We're about 4 minutes
from acquisition at Honeysuckle. At this time we're still get-
ting good reading on the flower rate from the ATM coolant loop
which is in the process of completing a cleaning. Liquid
gas separater was attached to that for several runs beginning
earlier this morning. Commander Carr indicated early in
his inspection of the filter taken out of that coolant loop,
that it contained number of small pieces mostly in
1 millimeter, 2 millimeter size, that were apparently
produced by lubricant which had coagulated in the loop. He
didn't think that there was much concern about it, but the EGIL
said the numbers of small pieces located on the filters might
indicate a lot more of the material flowing in the line. Perhaps
particles too small to be caught by the filter that's
normally used in that line. So liquid gas separator, which is
capable of reducing and removing particles that are about
1/5 the size of those that pass through the filter, was
attached to the line and several runs have been made with
that with a very _ what appears so far to be very good
results. We're about 2 minutes and 50 seconds from
acquisition at Honeysuckle where we'll have a 5 minute pass.
We'll leave the line up for air-to-ground there.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI080/I
Time: 15:13 CST, 33:21:13 GMT
12/18/73
CC Skylab, Houston through Honeysuckle for

5 minutes.
CDR Ro_er, Hank. On that ATM reservoir, it's
got the black bladder pushed all the way down to the full end
now where it says dump.
CC Okay, Jer, would you say once again for
our benefit?
CDR Roger. I said it's the in the ATM
C&D coolant reservoir, the black bladder has been pushed all
the way to the dump, or full end.
CC Roger, we copy.
CDR The bubbles up in the liquid are about
the size of birdshot, about the size of - oh, size 6 birdshot.
CC Roger, you can still see bubbles in there
huh?
CDR That's affirmative. Ah, there's not a
lot of bubbles l'd say the average distance between bubbles
is about oh, three quarters of an inch, not too dense.
CC CDR, Houston. I wonder if we could get
you to do one task for us on the hold - condensate holding
tank. We would llke to re-establish our Delta P, so we can
keep the water removal system going on heat exchanger, and
to do that what we need to do is reconnect the condensate
holdin_ tank, inlet hose to the condensate inlet QD for
probably just a couple of minutes is all it'll take to re-
establish a Delta P. And then we'll disconnect it and let
the dump continue.
CDR Okay, so far the bladder's moved, I guess
about 16 to 17 inches. I'ii tell you when I've completed
it.
CC Skylab, Houston, we see some VTR activity.
Anyone care to comment?
CDR The bossman is hard at work.
CC Okay, we - we were seeing the video
switch in ATM monitor.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're about 30 seconds
from LOS. We - we will see you again at Canaries at 05 and
that's about 44 minutes from now. And in re_ard to re-
establishin_ that Delta P, Jer, I guess you'll have to monitor
it yourself on the gau_e and then disconnect the hose when
it's at re-establish.
CDR Say, again, Hank. I was down at the
condensate tank and couldn't hear you?
CC Okay, we're going over the hill now, Jer.
And - and I guess EGIL says it'll be okay to leave it hooked
up till we get to Canaries.
CDR Okay, I just yanked it off, I'll go put
it back on again.
SL-IV MCI080/2
Time: 15:13 CST, 33:21:13 GMT
12/18/73

and 36 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab space station is
now going over the hill at the Honeysuckle Creek, Australia
tracking antenna. Our next acquisition is 42 minutes away
at Canary Island. During this last pass, discovered the
- here in Mission Control that the switch for the - for the
video tape recorder was in the wrong position and Ed Gibson
was asked to switch that. He did switch to the portable
position at the very end of that run. He had been attempting
to photograph the gypsy moths, which hatched a few days ago.
Tomorrow there'll be ATM activities that include photography
of the comet Kohoutek. And later this afternoon there will
be a briefing that's presently scheduled for 4:30 Houston
time, that will include George Withbroe of the Harvard College
Observatory, one of the experimenters who will gather data
with S055 on the comet tomorrow, and also who has some inter-
esting things to report on discoveries of the Sun, based on
that SO55 data. There may be other participants in that and
we'll give you an update on that later. It's presently
scheduled for 4:30 p.m. central standard time. This is
Skylab Control 41 minutes to our next acquisition of signal.
It's now 24 minutes after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI081/I
Time: 16:04 CST 33:22:04 GMT
12/18/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 22 hours

4 minutes Greenwich mean time. With a reminder to the press
that at 4:30 p.m. today central time we'll have a press
briefing envolving Dr. George Withbroe. That press briefing
will be in building number i, room 135. Dr. Withbroe is
associated with the Apollo telescope mount activities.
Space station is about a half sec - half a minute away from
acquisition through the Canary Island tracking site. And
we'll stand by for the call up from Spacecraft Communicator,
Bob Crippen.
CC Good afternoon, Skylab. Crippen team
with you through Canary for 12 minutes.
CDR Crip, strange it should be to you, I
was just going to announce that we finally have the moths
on TV.
CC I think we might have a small problem
there. (Chuckle) The last time we showed that the TV switch
up there was in mon 1 and not TV.
CDR I went through the whole thing all over
again Crip. I think we just completed the whole tape.
CC Okay. Understand you got it. Have we
seen any new moths?
SPT Yeah, I think I saw 1 possibly 2 new
fellows crawling around there today. They only last about
a day or two so the ones that are crawling are usually
fairly recent.
CDR You guys better start thinking up some
names, Crip.
CC I'm not good at namin_ things like that,
I thought you guys were. All these are in the wild ones,
none in the tame yet.
SPT Yep, all wild ones.
SPT There's got to be a moral there somewhere.
CDR Crip, how does our Delta P look across
that condensate holding tank?
CC Checking it.
CDR How does the Delta P look across the
condensate holding tank?
CC It's coming up we want to leave it
connected. We'll tell you later when to disconnect it if
we do so.
CDR Okay.
SPT Hey, Crip. Any thought on the singling
up in our YX's on rate gyro number 2?
CC We're still looking at that one Ed.
No answers as yet. And I wonder if we could find out how
SL-IV MCI081/2
Time: 16:04 CST 33:22:04 GMT
12/18/73
far we got along on the C and D coolant procedure?

SPT Okay, Crip. Jerry's been holding up at
step J, because of the other things we got going on here.
If you want him to press on we'll go ahead.
CC Uh - at your convenience you can press
on with it not to interfere with your experimental activities
here.
SPT Okay. We'll do it.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI082/I
Time: 16:12 CST, 33:22:12 GMT
12/18/73
CC Skylab, Houston, probably for Bill it

might be more convenient. We show experiment 1 tape recorder
running, and we'd appreciate it if you can turn it off at
your convenience.
PLT The run for S183 is through.
CC Stand by, sounds like we got a problem
then.
CC That's one for you guys, you're right.
CDR Crip, the bladder in the holding tank
has moved about 2/3 of the distance, about a little over 2
feet.
CC Copy, that. Thank you Jer.
CDR You ready to shift to pump Charlie?
CC Jer, when you've complete it and got it
all hooked up as scheduled for switching to the pump, we're
ready for it. And we're GO, I guess, to to leave it ON
tonight.
CDR Okay, well step J said to switch to
pump Charlie. Do you want me to wait until I get it all
taken apart and set up right?
CC I'm sorry, I thought you've already gotten
to that - that step. Stand by i.
CC We're 30 seconds from LOS. We'll see
you again at Carnarvon at 22:45. Jet, you are GO to continue
with the step J of turning the pump Charlie ON. You're GO
all the way through the procedure.
CDR Okay.
PAO Space station has moved out of range
of Madrid. The tracking site that had it last. We'll reacquire
again in approximately 26 minutes through the Carnarvon
station. In meantime, a reminder again that there is a
scheduled press breifing at 4:30 p.m. central stand - central
standard time in room 135 of building number I, involving
Dr, George Withbroe who is associated with the ATM experiments.
At 22 hours 19 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab
Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI083/I
TIME: 17:02 CST, 33:23:02 GMT
12/18/73

2 minutes Greenwich mean time. During the press conference
just concluded the space station was in contact with Carnarvon
and with Honeysuckle, the tracking stations in Australia,
we acquired approximately 3 and a quarter minutes of tape
recorded information as the station passed through those
two tracking sites and we'll play that back at this time.
CC Skylab, Houston AOS through Carnarvon,
we have you for 14 minutes.
CDR (garble) Charlie coming on Crip.
CC Roger, Jer, we assume that you've just
completed housekeeping 81X-ray, then.
CDR That's right the new filter's in and I'm
going to move on now to step step L.
CC Roger. Skylab, Houston we're getting
ready to commence a data/voice recorder dump.
CC For the CDR, Jer, you got a moment?
CDR For you or we, Crip.
CC Oh, you're so generous. One little item
on this liquid gas separator that the procedure calls for
you to stow a little bit later on, we think it might be a
good idea to put some red tape on that one or some way
identify it.
CDR Okay, sure will.
CC Thank you sir.
CC Skylab, Houston if we got somebody in the
vicinity we would like to verify that experiment 1 recorder
is off and we'll go ahead and dump it here through Honeysuckle.
PLT Rog, it's off Crip you can take it.
CC Thank you sir, we got a - got that
motion central problem on that one so we can't really tell
what the status of it is here on the ground..
CC Skylab, Houston we're about a minute from
LOS, we'll have you again at MILA in about 35 minutes, at
23:33, 23:33 and Jer if you can we would appreciate if you'd
would verify for us that the EREP valve is in BYPASS.
CDR That's verified Crip and we've completed
the procedures on that troubleshooting.
CC Outstanding. Usually we can tell by
decrease in flow on the thing but you're getting so much
better flow in it now, we're not use to looking at the numbers.
Looking like 280 pounds an hour right now.
CDR Hey, that's good.
CC Did good work today.
CDR There's still lots of bubbles in that
reservoir though.
CC Yeah but you must have got most of them out.
SL-IV MCI083/2
TIME: 17:02 CST, 33:23:02 GMT
12/18/73
CDR When I popped that filter off the first

time to look at it there was an awful lot of foam snd
bubbles. But looks like it wouldn't happen that way this time.
CC Very good.
CDR Okay, you about ready for me to start
securing the condensate dump tank.
CC Whenever you think the thing's empty you
can go ahead with that and you can just press on leaving it
connected to the condensate tank.
CDR Okay, I'll take my little, you'll pardon
the expression, stud finder and find out where it is.
PAO That completed the air-to-ground at
Honeysuckle. At 26 minutes more we'll reacquire again
through the Merritt Island tracking station in Florida.
23 hours, 6 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI084/I
Time: 17:31 CST, 33:23:31 GMT
12/18/73

minutes Greenwich mean time. About three quarters of a minute
away from acquistion through MILA. Standing by for air-to-
ground.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're AOS through MILA.
We have you for about ii minutes.
CDR Roger, Crip.
CC Rog, and does the SPT have a moment to
chat?
SPT Can you hold it up for about 5 minutes,
Crip?
CC Yes sir.
PLT Hey, Crip, Jet and I'd like to pass on
a good word to the people that wrote that procedure for that
ATM C&D coolant pump troubleshooting.
CC Okay, thank you. I guess it sounded like
it worked all okay and looks like we got lots of good
pressure. I guess you guys went through it without any
any bi_ problem.
CC Skylab, Houston, sorry we dropped out
there for a minute, we're back with you. Regarding that
C&D procedure it sounded like it really worked out fine
today, and kind of good to get a good loop and maybe we
can quit bugginE you about that thing. I know Hank did -
did an awful lot of work on getting it put together for you
and I'll pass on your words to him.
PLT Yeah, I know an awful lot of work was put
in on that because that - it flows very nicely and with
some of that water system hardware we have to use is not
labeled and everything. And (garble), it was worded in such a
way that we had no problems. I made - I got slowed down
once but that was my fault and it was not the fault of the
procedures. They were well written.
CC Very good. Thank you for the good words.
And you guys are - certainly deserving of congratulations in
carryin_ them out so well.
SPT Say, Crip, can I talk about two ATM
relay items before we start talking the maneuvers?
CC Yes sir, press on Ed.
SPT Okay, when in observation the large
streamer above the prominence is getting a little bit larger
at the base towards the cell, looks as though there's either a
new structure moving up there or the old one is just - is
growing but (garble) and is asymmetrical if it is growing on
(garble) something else moving up. And then second, on the 55
they quoted a number of mirror positions to do GRATING AUTO
RASTERS here and I think they all assumed that we started at
grading 32 and in - or mirror position, 32 in the left right
SL-IV MCI084/2
Time: 17:31 CST, 33:23:31 GMT
12/18/73
rather than 33 which we're now operating. So I went ahead and

figured we were working on 33 which we actually are and in i0
arc second intervals, which I think was the intent of their
procedures. And I'd like to see whether that is really what
they're after and also there may be some mod - modifications
to the next orbit?
CC Okay, Ed, you you're absolutely right
on that. We should have been using 33 and what you've done
is correct.
SPT Okay, thank you Bob.
CC My tern yet?
SPT If we can answer the question about the
next orbit which also gives mirror positions although that!s
not quite as straight forward as this one and l_m wondering
whether they assumed 32 or 33 in those positions?
CC Okay. We'll check on those.
CDR Your tern Crip.
CC Thank you sir. Also relating to the
next orbit. Last night we sent you up a - a JOP change for
building block 39, and we built this schedule assuming
that is was not incorpated yet. Can you tell us one way or
the other?
SPT I have incorpored everything I've come up -
but let me take a look at this one specifically. Hold on?
CC Okay, it's JOP 5 building block 39.
SPT No, that has been incorporated but I can
run it the old way getting them GRATING AUTO SCAN, that'll
give a mirror position rather than a MIRROR AUTO RASTER.
CC Well, l've got some info for you to go ahead
and run it with the MIRROR AUTO RASTER if if you want to
jot it down.
SPT Okay, give me 10 seconds and then give me
the information, please.
SPT Go ahead, Crip.
CC Okay. Want detectors OFF, and GRATING
at 01:02, (garble).
SPT Okay.
CC Also, in the subsequent orbit you are
scheduled for some TV downlink and what we're planning on doing
is rewinding the VTR to the 8 minute blank segment that we
got when you were trying to do that p - picture of my favorite
subject, and we'll allow that 8 minutes in there_ so don't
go over 8 at least.
SPT l_m not about to try that the moth
dialogue again, What happened there Crip, was I had it all
setup and I went whistling down there and got delayed doing
the medical experiment, and figured I still had it setup
SL-IV MCI084/3
Time: 17:31 CST, 33:23:31 GMT
12/18/73
meantime, Jerry ran an ATM pass, and had to use the VTR and
there we were again.
CC Rog, and so what we saw is we had an
8 minute blank segment on it. Then you went ahead and - and
did the moths, and what we're going to do is rewind to
that blank segment.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI085/I
Time: 17:39 CST, 33:23:39 GMT
12/18/73
SPT (Garble)
CC You're unreadable we've got bad comm. Get
back with you.
CC Okay, sorry about that Ed. We - we've
broke lock once more and I didn't get your response to my
last regarding going back to the last 8 minutes make_ that
blank 8 minutes.
SPT Yeah, that's fine, that's good procedure.
What I was remarking on is was that there was some discussion
that went along with both attempts, and you should use the sec-
ond discussion. The second one I got a little lean in indicating
what happened with the first one and the second one was the one
to use.
CC Okay, very good, I'm looking forward to
seeing the pictures of the of the moths.
SPT The one at the top is named after you,
Crip.
CC You're so sweet to me. Ed, we're looking
at some doors opened right now, and it would appear that maybe
you went to stowage before we got our sunset signal. So if
you can go back to AUTO, we would appreciate it.
CC Okay
CDR Houston, CDR
CC Go CDR.
CDR Hey, I'm between a rock and a hard spot
here. I've got S019 set up in the minus Z SAL and now I've
got to evacuate this condensate holding tank. If the hoses
will reach, is the vacuum utilization system on the plus Z
SAL still usable?
CC Negative on that. Let us take a look
at that, just a second.
CDR Okay.
CC Okay, Skylab, we're about 45 seconds from
LOS, we'll see you again over Madrid in 4 minutes and that's
at 23:33 _ correction at 23:47. And Jer the only solution we
see is that you're going to have to pull SO19 out of
the SALs and then do the dump.
CDR I was afraid of that.
CC Sorry about that.
PAO We'll reacquire the space station in 3
minutes. In the interest of conservation of words, we'll keep
the line up.
CC Skylab, Houston we're AOS through Madrid.
We have you for about 8 minutes.
CC PLT, Houston, you got a moment Bill?
PLT Yeah, go Crip.
SL-IV MCI085/2
Time: 17:39 CST 33:23:39 GMT
12/18/73
CC Rog, we're noting down here that the

left/right actuator temperature for the ATM canister is
increasing. And it's still about 3 degrees below our limit,
but you're going to have sunrise before we see you again. And
we'd just like you to make sure when sunrise does GO and the
can is supposed to unlock that you make sure that it does not
freeze up in left/right. If it does to go ahead and use your
procedure of going to solar inertial there.
PLT Okay, thank you very much.
CC Rog, there was also a question Ed put to
us regarding the mirror positions for your upcoming orbit.
And we'd like you to just go ahead and use them as the pads.
You've got three of them down there, use the last two.
PLT Rog, use the last two mirror positions.
SPT That's the way I marked it, Crip.
CC Okay, thank you Ed. And we're about
30 seconds from LOS, we'll see you again at Carnarvon at
25 minutes, 23:47, 23:47 I can't tell time 00:20, 00:20.
PAO Space station moved out of range of Madrid,
Next acquisition Carnarvon. At 23 hours 56 minutes Greenwich
END OF TAPE
SL-I¥ McI0g6/I
Time: 18:29 CST, 34:00:29 GMT
12/18/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 29 minutes

Greenwich mean time, in the new day of the year that would
be 3 - day 353. We're about 40 seconds away from acquisition
at Honeysuckle. On this pass which wa - which is the 3,153rd
pass of - or - revolution of the space station. Standing by
for the call from spacecraft communicator to the crew of
Skylab-IV.
CC Skylab, Houston, AOS through Honeysuckle
for 5 minutes, somebody took away Carnarvon when I wasn't
looking.
CC Skylab, Houston, we're 1 minute from
LOS. Next station contact is over Texas in 32 minutes,
that's at 01:07, 01:07. And at your convenience we can
start taking the evening status report somewhere around
there.
SPT Okay, Jerk - Okay, Jerry is applying to
it right now, Crip.
CC You better watch out, skipper is going
to get hold of you.
SPT I'll have to tren - clean out the trash
airlock again.
CC Put you in charge of the head once more.
PAO Loss of signal through Honeysuckle. A
quiet pass, principally because according to the Flight Plan
the the crew is involved in a leisurely dinner at this
time, at the Skylab round table. We'll reacquire in about
a half an hour. At 37 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is
Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI087/I
Time: 19:05 CST 34:01:05 GMT
12/18/73
PAO This is Skylab Control at 1 hour

5 minutes Greenwich mean time. About a minute 20 seconds
away from acquisition at Texas. And we're receiving data
in here so we'll stand by for communication, the air-to-
ground with the crew,
CC Skylab, Houston, we're AOS through
Texas, and we've got you for about 14-1/2 minutes. And
when ever it's convenient for Jer, we're ready for the
evening status report.
CDR Okay, how about tomorrow?
CC That's convenient for me. I don't
think some people down here would agree with us though.
CC I've never have been able to write that
fast when you give it.
CDR Okay, here it goes. Sleep: CDR, 4.0,
4.0/heavy; SPT, 4.8p 4.0/heavy, .8/light; PLT, 4.0, 4.0/heavy.
Volume: CDR, 1550; SPT, Ii00; PLT, 1500. Water gun readings:
CDR, 7513; SPT, 2959; PLT, 9039. Body mass: CDR, 6.313,
6.315, 6.315; SPT, 6.367, 6.370, 6.368; PLT, 6.237, 6.236,
6.236. Exercise: Deltas, CDR, Method Alfa, minus
12 minutes, minus 2,000 watt-minutes; SPT, Method A was not
done: PLT, no change. CDR, let's see all three crewmen no -
no drugs. CDR, for discarded clothing is a pair of socks;
SPT, none; PLT, 1 T-shirt, 1 pair of shorts, 1 shirt_ i pair
of socks. The Food log: CDR, 6.5 salt_ plus 1 coffee with
sugar, plus 1 grape drink, minus .5 water; SPT, plus
i0.0 salt, plus 1 tea, minus 2.0 water; PLT, 8.0 salt, plus
2 coffee, plus 1 grape drink, minus 1.0 salt. No Flight
Plan deviations. No Shopping list accomplishments. No
Inoperable equipment. Nope - no hold that transporter 03 is
jammed. Transporter 03 is jammed, and we'll try to get
some troubleshooting done on that, haven't gotten to it yet.
Unscheduled stowage: none. Stand by for the Photo. Okay,
Photo: 16-millimeter: M487, Housekeeping 60 Echo, Charlie
India 72, 00, Charlie India 85. We used transporter 07
in lieu of 03 which waa jammed, and percentage of film
used was 40 percent. Okay, Nikon.
CC Jer, why don't we hold up for just a
minute through handover, and I'll get you after.
CC Okay, Jer, we're back with you now
through MILA, you can go on.
CDR Okay, Nikon 01, no change; 02, Bravo
Victor 43, 22; 03, Charlie India lllp 15; 04_ no change;
05, Bravo Hotel 05, 17. 70-millimeter: Charlie X-ray
17, 131. ETC, no change. EREP, no change. Drawer A:
Alfa i, no change; Alfa 2, no change; Alfa 3, no change;
SL-IV MCI087/2
Time: 19:05 CST 34:01:05 GMT
12/18/73
Alfa 4, 03, Charlie India 71, 42, Charlie India 82, jammed;
back 07, Charlie india 72, 00, Charlie India 85, used up.
That's it.
CC Okay, sounds good. Sounds llke you

managed to get some shots in of that early EREP pass that
you made this morning. One item on wakeup in the morning.
Jer, we haven't got a convenient station pass for that.
And what recommend is you set the timers, and we'll give
you a call at 12:29 over Goldstone.
CDR Okay, Crip, we'll do it.
CC Okay, also for Ed on his upcoming ATM
pass when he's dumping the - putting the TV on. We have
the VTR reposition for that.
CC One item regarding his tomorrow morning's
activities that - we've got Bill scheduled to do a documentary
photo of you, Jerry, in the BMMD. For your information we'll
send up a photo pad tonight so that will be available to you.
CDR But Crip_ I'm not at my best that early
in the morning.
CC I don't know. That fuzzy face you've got
there has got to look good in the mornings.
CC We were just enjoying some TV that you
downlinked to us the other day when you were driving around
in the 509 machine.
CDR Oh yeah, thatts really a lot of fun.

CC Looks like it. Another question we got
couple of days, day before yesterday and the day before that
we've had you doing stereo photos, that's mission day 31 and
32. But we haven't been able to find the BMMD readings
associated with those, and wonder if you've managed to write
them down some - some place. And if so would you please
voice record them once more please.
CDR I suspect the problem is we didntt do
a BMMD at that moment. I guess we better go check the
checklist.
CC Okay, I think it does call out for you

to do one in association with the stereo photos.
CDR Okay, well we blew it.
CC Okeydoke. Could I ask you a question
regarding your 509 run since we're talking about it? Could
you tell us which seat position you used?
CDR Roger. I didn't even pay that much
attention to it what ever is called out in the checklist is
what we used. Bill said it, let me go check.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI088/I
TIME: 19:13 CST, 34:01:13 GMT
12/18/73
CDR (Garble) that much attention to it whatever

is called out the checklist is what we used. Bill said it,
let me go check.
CDR We used Bravo, Crip.
CC Okay, used Bravo. Did you perchance use
any Mosite on the seat and if so I'Ii take a piece.
CDR Negative we didn't. I didn't feel like
I needed it. It felt very solid to me and I didn't feel any
slosh or slop at all.
CC Okay, the reason I'm asking the question
is that in reviewing the data, it looks like there it was a CG
offset and we were just trying to see if we could explain it
a little bit. Awhile ago when you were going through your
photo report for us, we did not see any MI51 film taken up
which was scheduled in your M092 run today. Can you clarify
that for us please.
CDR We're checking our checklist, there was
none taken.
CC Okeydoke.
CDR Chalk up two for us.
CC Okay, we got that one. On - might talk a
little bit about visual ops, I don't know if you noticed but
we've been calling out on - when we've been sending up the
special Vis ops pad for you to do observation primarily
or something of that nature and what we're going to do in the
future is to note that on your detail pad, if it's really only
observations we want and there's no other information required.
And if there is some special emphasis which your book does not
explain to you we will go ahead and put avis ops pad up for
that but not just for when we want you to observe it only. And
in in recognition of that we have - we're on the SPT's details
tomorrow, it says he's got a pad and we have deleted that one.
CDR Crip, you cut out then, you must've had a
little drop out, you better try that one again.
CC Okay, I'm sorry, we - we had a handover.
It calls out on the SPT's details tomorrow. A 2340 handheld
where it says observe only and then it says pad and there
was really no additional information to go with that so we're
not planning on sending a pad up in association with it.
CDR Okay, we'll delete that. The pad that is.
CC Rog, okay. Also in relation to the evening
status report, it would appear that sometimes when you talk
about throwing away clothes that you're talking about - you've
maybe been holding them on hand for a few days to use them as
rags or something and really in the report what the Pl's in-
terested in getting is when you take them off and not necessarily
when you throw them away. So in the future in the evening status
SL-IV MCI088/2
TIME: 19:13 CST, 34:01:13 GMT
12/18/73
report if you would relate to us the clothes that are removed

for the day. Not planned to be put back on, I guess.
CDR Yeah, but Bill does wear his for 4 days.
CC Sounds like a personal problem.
CDR Okay, we'll do that.
CC Very good. One other item for I think
we promised Ed, we were going to have an 18D pad up tonight
so that you guys could go over that, and we've tried our
best but unfortunately we haven't been able to succeed.
Bill Lenoir is over in the SLS right now running with, we think
is the latest pad but we aren't going to have that ready to go
before you guys retire for this evening. Ed, Bill will give you
a pretty good rundown of what the thing - what we're planning
on doing for tomorrow verbally this morning and I can run over
that again if you would like or best we can do otherwise is
just to have the pads onboard tonight while you're asleep so you
can look at them in the morning.
SPT Let's go ahead and run over it again, Crip.
CC Okay, basically we're gonna have the
JOP 18D pad like we'd always planned so you can fill it in
on your checklist. And you're going to go ahead and do
move maneuver out so that you're - if the comet comes up in
about the 6 o'clock of your field of view and you'll go ahead
and do the 52 photographs. Okay, following that in this pad
it's going to refer you to a special test which is on it -
a different pad. A JOP 18D pointing pad. And in it we're
going to ask you to go through a series of maneuvers which
allows us to determine if the problem has been associated
or the problem we got on the last time was associated with
roll and I believe that is fairly self explanatory, when you read
it what we're asking you to do is basically just maneuvering
it back and forth at a single axis and making sure that it
goes along that axis. And we are giving you a specific offset
that we determined from your last pointing test, a specific
roll offset that is.
SPT Okay, Crip and we can work that straight
off the pad, we don't need a JOP summary sheet or any other
paper associated with it?
CC No sir that's straight off the pad that
you can do this maneuvering portion. And when you get to the
end of that you go ahead and go beck to the JOP IgD summary
sheet to pick up the repositioning for doing the 82B and 55
portions of it. Now the maneuvering on this special test
will probably carry you around through one whole pass. We
hope that you're going to be able to complete it on that one
and then get into the 82B on the next time that you get
comet rise. But if you don't we do want to do the pointing
SL-IV MCI088/3
TIME: 19:13 CST, 34:01:13 GMT
12/18/73
test even to the point of overriding the 82B stuff.

SPT Okay and to what is the magnitude of the
star that we'll be working with.
CC Think you might have me there. We give you
the option on this of using the star or the comet. They're
going to be right together and I'll try to get a magnitude
here for you shortly. We're going to go LOS in about
30 seconds and we're going to have you again over Madrid
in 5 minutes. But that's going to be your med conference
at 01:25. Honeysuckle follows at 02:11, 02:11 and I can go
ahead and talk to you a little bit more about it.
SPT Okay, Crip you talked about a comet
rise before and that would imply that it said which makes me
wonder how much of the orbit is not usable.
CC Okay, we're going to go around and two -
you'll get comet rise, you'll get set and then we'll come
around and get comet rise again and do the other portions of
it. For Jerry's information we got a good Delta P on the
condensate tank, and we're going over the hill now.
SPT Thank you Crip, I've got a couple of questions
I'll talk to you later.
CC Yes sir.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI089/i
Time: 19:23 CST, 34:01:23 GMT
12/18/73

We'll reacquire again in about 38 minutes. At 1 hour 33
minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI090/I
Time: 20:10 CST, 34:02:10 GMT
12/18/73
PAO (garble). The report of physican -

the attending physican on the health of the crew, and I'll
read that to you. The crew health is good. The pilot's
rash is subsiding under directive care. Observation over
the next few days will help us differentiate among the
possible specific ideologies. And that is the end of the
report, it was signed by Dr. erald Hordinsky. i0 seconds
until we acquire the spacecraft at the Honeysuckle tracking
station.
CC Skylab, Houston, I've got you for 30 seconds,
to tell you we're going to get you stateside, at 02:41 over
Texas, that's about 30 minutes away.
CDR Roger, how does the condensate Delta P
look?
CC We show it at 41, it's dropped off what -
slightly from what we thought initially.
CDR Okay. That procedure's all complete
now.
CC Very good, thank you. And for Ed's
information, and Terry's there's going to be a star and it's
plus 1.2 and I can talk to him some more over stateside.
PAO It was a short pass through the Honeysuckle
trackin_ site. We'll acquire them again in 27 minutes. At
2 hours 13 minutes Greenwich mean time, this is Skylab Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI091/I
TIME: 20:40 CST, 34:02:40 GMT
12/18/73
PA0 This is Skylab Control at 2 hours

41 minutes Greenwich mean time. Coming up on Texas and
Goldstone on this pass across the states. About 30 seconds
away from acquiring the space station for probably the last
time tonight in as much as it is a plan to put the crew to
bed a hour early, since they were awaken at 4 a.m. central
standard time this morning, to do an EREP pass.
PAO We're standing by.
CC Skylab, Houston welre AOS through
Goldstone and we have you for about I0 minutes across the states.
Skylab, we see that we've got all of our VTR info on and we're
going to take and rewind it for dump, so it's not available
for your use.
SPT Roger, Crip.
CC And also if it's convenient for somebody,
we would appreciate it if they could give us a frame remaining
count on the ATM C&D tonight.
SPT Coming at you Crip, 08 465, 02118,
00053, 00616, 03809, 02462.
CC Copy that Ed. And if the CDR is available
I would like to ask one little question about putting things
down on flight plans.
CDR Go ahead.
CC Rog, Jer and looking at the flight plans
that you had today, it's obvious to me how I would have probably
ended up missing that 151 that you had scheduled for 92, in that
it sort of followed the split in the page plus it's put down
in the very bottom. We were trying to think of ways that we
might of made that clearer to you. One of them of course is to
put it up before the item or the experiment that is to be
photographed, which we will try to do in the future. The other
item we were considering doing, and we were wondering whether
it was worthwhile or not was putting it in details. Do you -
would something like that help or just make your details
longer?
CDR No Crip, I think this was sort of an
isolated case. I think probably the way we're doing it is
okay. I think probably the most helpful thing would be for me
to have the CAP COMM say don't forget.
CC Okay, we_ll certainly try to do that in
the future, we're -
CDR That's how you kept us from messing up
nuZ updates and missing those all the time, and this might be
another good way.
CC Okay, we'll try to remind you of those
little items as we go through the flight plan in the future.
And that's about all the items I had, exercise me, had this
evening. The DELTA-P is looking good on the condensate tank
SL-IV MCI091/2
TIME: 20:40 CST, 34:02:40 GMT
12/18/73
which we're all thankful for. We didn't want to go through the

little ditties that we've had during Al's mission. And I -
we would - got some evening news for you that I can run
through at your convenience.
CDR Okay, I think we're all ready.
CC Okay, everybody down here in the MOCR
enjoys trying to hear me trying to read the evening news
also.
CDR Do you use sound effects like Bruce does?
CC No, I don't I'm not as good as Bruce
when it comes to doing things like evening news. Rog and
corollary is assuming that we did get S019 back in the SAL
and got it all evacuated and ready to use tomorrow.
CDR That's affirmative.
CC Okay, very good. I'll press on and try
to give you some news then. Man may have walked upright more
than three million years ago, according to a new find of leg
in Ethiopia. If the estimate of the age of the bones is
confirmed, the finding would be the first direct evidence
that man was walking erect that long ago. The finding was
reported in Addis Ababa by Dr. Carl Johanson of Case Western
Reserve University_ Cleveland, Ohio, who said he found
fossilized human bones last October at the Hadar River basin
near the town of Dessie at Wollo Province. Dr. Johanson
told the Ethiopian Herald in an interview published Sunday
that the find constitutes the only known evidence that man
was walking on two legs three or four million years ago.
In this country, Dr. Ian Tattersall, physical anthropologist
at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, said
that if the report is correct, it would push back the
minimum age at which man walked upright. Dr. Tattersall noted
that the Johanson finding would be somewhat older than the
findings last year by British anthropologist Richard Leakey.
Richard Nixon has scheduled a meeting Wednesday afternoon
with chief energy adviser Willian Simon as the deadline
approaches for an administration decision on gasoline
rationing. Deputy Press Secretary Warren would not predict
whether the Wednesday meeting would bring an announcement on
rationing. Simon has said he expects a rationing decision
to be made this week. And speaking of energy, we did have
to clarify for some of the members of the press down here,
when we talked about gas that we were talking about only
pure nitrogen and didn't have an petroleum products as regards
to the Skylab. College Basketball Polls: The UPI rates
the teams in the following order. UCLA number i,
North Carolina number 2, Notre Dame, number 3, Marquette
SL-IV MCI091/3
TIME: 20:40 CST, 34:02:40 GMT
12/18/73
4, Maryland 5, North Carolina State 6, and Indiana 7.

AP poll has UCLA number i, Maryland number 2, Norte Dame 3,
North Carolina 4, North Carolina State 5, Marquette 6,
and Indiana number 7. The Wolfpack of North Carolina State
beat Kansas in the Liberty Bowl last night by a score of
31 to 18. And the Reno Turf Club has picked -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI092/I
Time: 20:47 CST 34:02:47 GMT
12/18/73
CC North Carolina State, 5, Marquette 6,

and Indiana number 7. The Wolfpack of North Carolina State
beat Kansas in the Liberty Bowl last night by a score of
31 to 18. And the Reno Turf Club has picked the Miami
Dolphins as a 2-1 favorite to win the Supper Bowl. And
Minnesota gets in there 3 to i and Dallas and Los Angeles
are both rated at 4 to i. And also today the - the ladies
over in our office managed to fix one of their great lunches
to honor the first two Skylab crews and we missed you guys
there.
CDR Yeah, I'm sorry we couldn't be there.
SPT We missed being with the folks and
we missed the lunch.
CC Rog. We'll get them to work one up
when you guys get back, must have put on another i0 pounds.
I even got a round of applause from the MOCR down here for
starting my news report tonight. I didn't fumble over
3 or 4 times.
SPT Well, that's show biz.
CC Rog.
CDR All you guys in the MOCR better be
careful you're going to spoil him.
CC Don't worry, they haven't done that yet.
SPT Say, Crip. You gonna read the news.
CC Thank you.
CC You're kind of like the (garble).
CC SPT, Houston_ I'm assuming Ed that youtve
got no more questions that I can run over with you on that
JOP 18D you got tomorrow. Still trying to get Bill back from
the SLS.
SPT Yeah, Crip. The question which I had
was how much time do we have of common viewing time verses
the time that it's (garble).
CC I'm sorry Ed. I didn't didn't quite get
all that question.
SPT Okay, Crip I want to know of what fraction
of the orbit will we be able to see the comet and what period
of time will we not be able to?
CC Okay_ let's see if I can give you that
answer fairly
quickly.
CC Okay, Ed we've got you for about another
minute and half here. And where we had a little key hole.
I've got the time available for you that the co - comet is
going to be visible.
CC SPT, Houston, you read me now okay?
SPT Yeah_ I read you now Crip. You were broken
up t_ere a little while.
SL-IV MCI092/2
Time: 20:47 CST 34:02:47 GMT
12/18/73
CC Okay, I'm sorry I dropped out. We're

1 minute from LOS and we're going to say good night to you
here. Madrid if you need to call us is going to be at
03:02. That's only about 5_i/2 minutes away. The times
that the thing is available is almost the whole day light
side. And it's for example, it's on the first time it's
going to be from 15:39 to 16:34 and 17:12 to 18:07 on the
second rev.
SPT Okay, Crip, thanks very much.
CC Okeydoke, I think it'll be pretty
clear once you get a chance to take the pad and go through
it tomorrow morning. And we have allotted the hour that
you've requested_ take down and put it on your JOP sheet.
SPT Okay, I see that in the flight plan,
thanks very much for that, make it got a lot smoother l'm
sure. What time is the first maneuver?
CC Maneuver time is going to be go at hole
at 15:51. And that's - that's first estimate on this thing,
that don't - well it's probably our - about our six estimate,
but that is still eing looked at in the SLS right now, but
it should be okay.
SPT Okay_ I guess thatts your first and
final (garble)
CC That's affirmative. Ya'll need to
maneuver out to it once and then we'll come back later.
Going over the hill.
PAO The Spacecraft Communicator gave the
crew a good night for this day. However, we're about
3 minutes away from Madrid. And we'll keep the llne up
for the pass through Madrid. There's a real good possi_
bility that we'll have some more communication.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI093/I
Time: 20:59 CST, 34:02:59 GMT
12/18/73
CC (Music).
CDR Good night, Crip.
CC Nighty-night guys.
CDR Okay, we'll name the next moth Irene.
PAO And with the playing ever so softly of
Irene Goodnight, Goodnight Irene, I'll See You in my Dreams
the ground, tonight, sentimentally tucked the Skylab IV crew
into bed, on this the 33rd day of the mission. We'll
we'll conclude the broadcasting at this time. At 3 hours
12 minutes 56 seconds Greenwich mean time_ this is Skylab
Control.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I094/I
Time: 06:28 CST 34:12:28 GMT
12/19/73

and 47 seconds Greenwich mean time. Skylab crew is about
to be awakened at the Goldstone tracking antenna. We're
50 seconds now from acquisition of signal there. The pass
through Goldstone will last a little less than 5 minutes.
Flight Director at this time is Milton Windler_ and the CAP
COMM is Carl Henize. We're going live now for air-to-ground
at Goldstone in California.
CC Skylab, this is Houston wishing you a
very good morning on the morning of mission day 34.
CDR Good morning, Houston.
CC Skylab, this is Houston talking to you
through Goldstone at the moment. We have about i minute to
LOS. And we'll see you at Vanguard in about 18 minutes at
12:52.
PAO SKylab Control at 12 hours 35 minutes
is out of range of the Goldstone tracking antenna. We're
16-1/2 minutes from our next acquisition of signal which will
be at Vanguard. This is Skylab Control 35 minutes and 50 seconds
after the hour.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I095/I
Time: 06:51 CST 34:12:51 GMT
12/19/73

]_2 seconds Greenwich mean time. We're now about 55 seconds
from acquisition of signal through Vanguard tracking station,
where we'll have a i0_i/2 minute pass, Spacecraft communicator
at this time is Karl Henize. Expect a change of shift briefing
this morning, sometime after 8 o'clock. There will be a Flight
Managment Team meeting first and
PAO We're live now at Vanguard.
CC Skylab, This is Houston. Through Vanguard
for the next i0 minutes. Be advised that we will be turning
on the primary coolant loop in the next few minutes and you
can expect the caution and warning light.
CDR Ready, Karl.
CC And, I've been asked to remind the pilot
about the documentary photo DPI3 this morning of the BMMD.
The photo pad is on board for that and also on the film thread
pad, that's message 3406A, we should have included the following
note, and I'll repeat this later if you want it, but before
you thread, transport 07, pull out 6 feet of film from CI74
and cut it off.
PLT Thank you very much. I was getting ready
to do that.
CC Great.
SPT Houston, SPT.
CC Go ahead, Ed.
SPT Because P59 has erupted and is no longer
very close to the disk, there's very few remannts of it left.
Do they want me to press on with the JOP 26, as I am right now
which is based on looking at P59?
CC Stand by on that one.
CC Skylab, Houston. We'd like to send up
a nay update and need the DAS for a couple of minutes.
SPT You've got it.
CC Ed, this is Houston. They say that we'd
like to go ahead with JOP 26 but, following that we're not
interested in JOP 25, we'd like to have you go ahead with the
shopping list according to your best judgment.
SPT Okay, thank you.
CC On active region 00, they say.
SPT That's where I'd be headed it, thank you.
CC Ed, This is Houston. We'd like to have
the high voltage on, on the X-REA. Thank you.
CC Skylab, this is Houston. We have LOS in
1 minute. The primary coolant loop is looking in good shape
and we hope you enjoy the slight additional cooling you might
SL-IV MC-I095/2
Time: 06:51 CST 34:12:51 GMT
12/19/73
get. And, we'll be seeing you over Tananarive in about

13 minutes, that's at 13:15.
SPT Roger.
37 seconds. We're now LOS at Vanguard. Our next acquisition is
12_i/2 minutes away. Skylab crewmen Gerald Carr, Ed Gibson
and Bill Pogue begin their 34th day in orbit today. And, they'll
be taking their first look at Kohoutek this morning with the
solar instruments on the Apollo telescope mount. The crew
will be observing the comet against a galactic background
and obtaining baseline data for calibration purposes during
two orbits today. Ed Gibson and Gerald Carr are scheduled to
be working at the console. The ATM instruments to be used
for viewing the comet and recording data will be the S052, white
light coronagraph, S055, ultraviolet scanning polychromator
spectroheliometer and S082, ultraviolet spectroheliograph
and the S056, X-ray event ultraviolet telescope. During the
first orbit of Kohoutek observation this morning the S052,
white light coronagraph will obtain polarization and morphological
variation of the coma and tail of the comet. The data
will provide density structure for the comet and the
determination of the comet's tail's mass. The S052 equipment has
the advantage of being in the visible range, that is to say
from approximately 4000 to 7000 angstroms. It's a solar
coronagraph, there are similar instruments on Earth-based at
Earth-based observatory but, because this one operates outside
the Earthts atmosphere, it provides much higher contrast
photography as the comet moves in closer to the Sun. The
atmos --
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MCI096/I
TIME: 07:04 CST, 34:13:04 GMT
12/19/73
PAO - - at Earth-based observatories, but

because this one operates outside the Earth's atmosphere it
provides much higher contrast photography as the comet moves
in closer to the Sun. The atmosphere obscures most observations
of the comet by Earth instruments and_ of course, the corona-
graph is one of the most affected by it. The S056 X-ray
event, ultraviolet telescope, will be used to observe X-ray
fluorescence and radiation in the 2- to 33-angstrom range
excited by by solar X-ray activities. The SO56 observations
will be unique and exploratory in nature. The X-ray instrument
will make the first observation of a comet by an X-ray
telescope. About a 27 minute photographic exposure will
te taken of the comet. Also during the first orbit of
Kohoutek viewing the ATM precise pointing checks will be made
by the crew, pointing - by pointing the ATM instruments at
a star, in this case Alpha Scorpius, which is better known as
Antares. The crew will try to move this star to different
positions in the field of view on the TV display grid. A
similar activity was participated in by the crew using the
planet Mercury as a pointing object. On the second orbit
of the Kohoutek observation the experiments SO82B and SO55
will be pointed at the comet. SO55 data, which is transmitted
to the ground, will provide information on the hydrogen
emission simultaneously on hydrogen Lyman-alpha, beta and
gamma, and the Lyman continuum which will give data on the
radiance of the hydrogen halo of the comet. Lyman-alpha
radiation is emmitted by hydrogen in the far ultraviolet
range at about 1200 and - at 1216 angstroms. It was first
observed in the solar spectrum by rocket-borne spectrographs.
Far ultraviolet radiation, of course, cannot reach the
Earth's surface because it is scattered by the atmosphere.
Also on the second Kohoutek obsto - observations the SO82B
ultraviolet spectroheliograph will be used to obtain data.
The data obtained by SO82B will be analyzed to determine
metallic diatomic and polyatomic emission lines which are
recorded and thus provide some unique data on the chemical
composition of the comet. SO82B film, a special load was made
for comet observations which is much more sensitive to
light than that usually used for observing the Sun. Part
of the reason for postponing observations until today was
to allow that film to come into a position on - in the film
pack. There are approximately 400 frames available for viewing.
The SO82B speetroresolution will allow analysis of line
profiles to determine temperature and pressure of the comet.
The spaclal resolution will allow analysis for effects of
solar radiation and solar wind and the ionization and decay rates
SL-IV MCI096/2
TIME: 07:04 CST, 34:13:04 GMT
12/19/73
of the observed constituents. SO82B has the special advantage

of being able to obtain high-resolution spectrography in the
ultraviolet region of particular interest to comet scientists.
Comet Kohoutek is approaching the Sun from a from a distance
of about of i00 from a distance of about 37 million miles.
It's about 106 million miles from the Earth, and in an orbit
that makes it approximately stationary in regard to the Earth.
Its present rate of speed in relation to the Sun is 157,000
miles per hour. For Earth observers it appears to be in
the constellation Scorpius and will pass inside the orbit of
Mercury tomorrow, December 20th, to become the Sun's nearest
neighbor. Kohoutek is scheduled to pass perihelion, or its
closest approach to the Sun, at 4:24 a.m. central standard
time on December 28th. At that time the comet's velocity will
be more than 250,000 miles per hour, and it's distance from
the Sun just a little over 13 million miles. The comets
closest approach to Earth will be January 15, 1974. It will
remain virtually stationary in regard to the Earth until
it passes perihelion then it will rapidly come closer during
the first weeks of January. At that time it will be - at
January 15 it will be 75 million miles from the Earth, and
about 60 million miles from the Sun, and have a rate of speed
of about 118,000 miles as it's slowed by the Sun's gravity
while it's trying to move away. Caution should be observed
while viewing the comet near the Sun in the morning twilight
sky between now and December 28th and in the evening sky
after that date. Widefield binoculars and small telescopes
at low power are useful while viewing the comet. Additional
photography today will be made by the Skylab crew by Bill Pogue
using the 35-millimeter Nikon camera. That's the continuing
photography that crew members have been making to record the
exact brightness of the comet. Such experiment is not possible
from the surface of the Earth where the atmosphere interferes
substantially with readings of exact light. Preparations -
also photos today will be made with the ultraviolet stellar
astronomy or SO19 camera. That's scheduled for 5:48 p.m.
Preparations for tomorrow's M509 maneuvering exercise will
be made by Carr and Pogue this morning. They'll be charging
the batteries for the maneuvering unit. Pogue will do some
checks of the SO63 ultraviolet airglow horizon photography
equipment, and the T025 35-millimeter Nikon camera -
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I097/I
Time: 07:09 CST, 34:13:09 GMT
12/19/73
PAO - solar astronomy or S019 camera. That's

scheduled for 5:48 p.m. Preparations for tomorrow's M509
maneuvering unit exercise will be made by Carr and Pogue
this morning. They'll be charging the batteries for the
maneuvering unit. Pogue will do some checks of the S063
ultroviolet airglow horizon photography equipment and the
T025 35_millimeter Nikon camera to have it ready for the
Kohoutek photography scheduled during the spacewalk on
Christmas Day. During the the think Thanksgiving Day
spacewalk, the crewmen were unable to continue operation of
the knob on the camera that sets the exposure time. It
started free wheeling and they were unable to change the settings
after 5 frames were taken. So the experiment was brought
back inside Skylab without completing the planned number of
exposures. All three crewmen will be manning the solar
console today for acquiring data on the Sun. There are
eight sessions scheduled at the ATM with a little over 5 hours
of data take. The crew will be looking at solar prominence
using JOP 4 on the northeast limb of the Sun. Solar scientist
had hoped that it would develop into something big, but during
the night it began errupting but not with the spectacular
results that had been expected. Synoptic observations of
the Sun will be continued and an active region will be
observed as it moves across the Sun. Today, Ed Gibson will
be the subject for MO92/M171 lower body negative pressure
metabolic activity medical experiment. Carr will be the
observer. Handheld photo targets for today include two this
morning at 08:50 a.m. by Bill Pogue. He's scheduled to shoot
the Nambid Desert dunes in Southwest Africa and the Okovango
swamps in Northern Botswana. The Okovango swamp that has
pointed out a few days ago in a briefing to the crew is
believed to be a possible end result that may occur as well
in Mall which is now suffering from drought. At 5:45, Ed
Gibson is scheduled to shoot handheld photos of insecting
infestation near Peruth, Australia. An optional handheld
photo target for today is metropolitan development
patterns in Lapoz, Bolivia. Today the astronauts will be
pointing their Skylab solar telescope at the comet Kohoutek. That
will be the first time that's been done on this mission. And
of course the first manned observations from space of the
comet using such large instruments. There are four instruments
altogether observing the comet as it moves at a speed of
157,000 miles an hour. Morning observation of the comet will
provide scientist in mission Control with their first electronic
look at Kohoutek from Skylab. The comet has been extensivley
recorded already by Skylab cameras with the film scheduled
to be returned by the crew in early February. But today
some data is going to be transmitted direct to ground stations
and relayed here to Mission Control. In addition to scanning
SL-IV MC-I097/2
Time: 07:09 CST, 34:13:09 GMT
12/19/73
the ultraviolet radiation produced by the large cloud of

hydrogen around the comet's small nucleus, the astronauts
will transmit their first television pictures to reveal details
of Kohoutek's size, shape, density and light intensity. That
is, of course, in addition to the photography and uses two
of the solar instruments. Earth observers have had
very poor view of the comet as it's blotted out by morning
twilight and it's become virtually impossible to gather useful data
except for the radio astronomy instruments, now from the surface
of the Earth. Skylab's expected to provide an immense bonus
of information on the comet, which is already the most
intensively studied in history. We're about 2 minutes and
50 seconds from acquisition at Tananarive. We'll leave the
l_ne up now for air-to-ground there. The pass through Tananarive
will last about 10-1/2 minutes. Flight Director is Milton
Windier. But we've now begun a process of a handover to
Charles Lew_s who's coming on duty. And Carl Henize is the
spacecraft com_nicator. Milton Windler will be available
for a change-of-shift briefing following a Flight Management
Team Meeting which begins shortly after 8 o'clock this morning.
We_ll see if we can get a more definite time on that. He
said he_d like to do it immediately thereafter, might be in
a range of 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. central standard time this
morning. Still a few hours away. This is Skylab Control
and we're about 2 minutes from Tananarive. We'll leave the
llne up live for air-to-ground there.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I098/I
Time: 07:14 CST 34:13:14 GMT
12/19/73
CC Skylab, this is Houston through

Tananarive for the next 9 minutes.
CDR Roger, Carl.
CC Skylab, this is Houston. We have
2 minutes to LOS. Reception is pretty poor. We'll see you
over Hawaii at 14:00, about 34 minutes from now.
END OF TAPE
SL-IV MC-I099/I
Time: 07:23 CST 34:13:23 GMT
12/9/73
CC We'll have you at 14:00, about 34 minutes

from now.
CC Houston, this is Skylab. 1 minute to LOS,
see you over Hawaii at 14:00.
CDR Thank you, Carl.
Greenwich mean time. The Skylab space station is out of range
now of the antenna at Tananarive. Our next acquisition is
about 31-1/2 minutes away at Hawaii on the hour. This morning
at Vanguard the primary coolant loop was brought on line. That's
the airlock module coolant loop, and one of the main systems
one also that had been leaking. The primary coolant loop was
brought on line to help keep temperatures down in the orbital
workshop. There are some readings now sensors indicating
78 to 79 degrees in there, at least in part, a result of the
high Beta angle, that is to say, the large amount of time the
Skylab space station has been spending in the Sun. So we've
got double cooling now to keep it a little cooler in there. Next
acquisition is 34 minutes away. This is Skylab Control at
26 minutes and 45 seconds after the hour.
END OF TAPE

Skylab 4 PAO Mission Commentary 11 of 32

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Skylab 4 PAO Mission Commentary 11 of 32

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SL-IV MCI000/I

TIME: 13:17 CST, 31:19:17 GMT

PAO Skylab Control at 19 hours 17 minutes

in the atmosphere and in the ocean, oceanic volcanic activity,

has come of age in Skylab, with the automated camera and

PAO Skylab Control at 19 hours 54 minutes

CC Skylab, Houston. We're back with you

ground wanted him to. They did instruct him to continue

Kohoutek is being planned. That will take place just 3 days

PAO Skylab Control at 20 hours 52 minutes

PAO This is Skylab Control at 21 hours 32

CDR Okay, thank you.

PAO Skylab Control here in Houston, Texas at

PAO This is Skylab Control at 22 hours,

PAO This is Skylab Control at at 22 hours,

PAO Skylab Control here in Houston, Texas

CC Okay, well that's - that's the quickest

PAO This is Skylab Control at 49 seconds

SPT Yeah, Crip, I think I answered that probably

PAO This is Skylab Control at 56 - 56 minutes

of below the threshold, but we got there.

PAO We'll have the medical conference dis-

PAO This is Skylab Control at I hour 31

PAO This is Skylab Control at i hour 46

going to want to get in. First, I have an item for Ed, up

CC - the offset that occurs when you're

recall when - did you perform a reservoir check after the

PAO Skylab Control here at 2 hours 30 minutes

from that, but if you have an opportunity to review that

CDR Okay Crip, I looked through it, do we

we have to make sure that our TACS only indication works.

someone is attributed that to sending a smaller pointed head

CC - with the DAS and circling going

PAO This is Skylab Control at 3 hours 14 min-

C&D 1 and 2 on.

PAO This is Skylab Control at 3 hours 37

CC Rog, I hear you were pretty good at that.

PAO Skylab Control at 14 hours 17 minutes

PAO Skylab Control at 14 hours 41 minutes

S193 microwave sensors will take data of known geothermal

PAO Skylab Control at 15 hours 25-1/2 minutes

between Pilot Bill Pogue and spacecraft communicator Hank

PAO Skylab Control at 15 hours 55 minutes and

permanent general message 13 as being valid and as you probably

the change 2 stand where it is.

CC And Jer, I don't know whether you've been

PAO Skylab Control at 16 hours 6 minutes and

CDR Okay. 21:34. Is that the first exposure?

which is comet photography using the camera normally used

PAO Skylah Control at 17 hours 33 minutes

shoot up about 30 to 40 arc seconds above the limb, and have

off a flare right around 4 minutes remaining.

MCC It has somewhat higher signal than neon VII.

SPT (Static) (garble) South Atlantic anomaly

come on the eastern limb of the disk. That's to the lower

I think that's plobably the best way for viewing it also is

indicated he did have an interest in doing that and there

PAO Skylab Control at 18 hours 33 minutes

PLT If you come up with a better idea, fine.

PAO Skylab Control at 19 hours 11 minutes

MCC Yeah, we're thinking though Ed, that you

CDR I think the relocation of the fluids in

an inch and 2 inches. And, that that's what caused these