Topic: [SL-2] Skylab I near Saturn IB launch abort
Rick Teklits Member
Posts: 21 From: Yardville, NJ USA Registered: Dec 2010
posted 02-02-2014 09:06 PM
I recently bought the Skylab 2 SA-206 flight evaluation report on Amazon. The NASA publication states that immediately after launch commit something called the thrust failure cutoff circuit was momentarily energized.
Apparently, it was not energized long enough to actuate the cutoff relay, but if it had, it would have transferred power from internal to external power and would have resulted in launching a vehicle with no electrical power resulting in vehicle loss.
I had never read that before. Makes for the question that had it aborted, I know we had extra Saturn IB boosters, but could the Skylab station have lasted long enough for next flight to repair it?
posted 02-04-2014 02:31 PM
My humble guess is that they could have kept the station in a passive thermal condition long enough for the next Saturn launch provided it wasn't a year down the road. However, Skylab's usefulness as a lab and living facility may have been compromised due to the excessive heat inside.