The Explorers' Club, № MCLVI

Operation AXIOM: The 60th Anniversary of Astronaut Group 5 (the "Original Nineteen"), Part I
4 April 1966: N.A.S.A.'s Astronaut Group 5—the "Original Nineteen"—were announced: Vance D. Brand, John S. Bull, Gerald P. Carr, Charles M. Duke Jr., Joseph H. Engle, Ronald E. Evans Jr., Edward G. Givens Jr., Fred W. Haise Jr., James B. Irwin, Don L. Lind, Jack R. Lousma, T. Kenneth Mattingly II, Bruce McCandless II, Edgar D. Mitchell, William R. Pogue, Stuart A. Roosa, John L. Swigert Jr., Paul J. Weitz, & Alfred M. Worden; three were Moonwalkers; six others flew to the Moon.

Commentary: We apologize for missing the precise sixtieth anniversary in April.

Edward Galen Givers Junior (5 January 1930-6 June 1967) died in an automobile accident before being assigned to a mission. John Sumter Bull (25 September 1934-11 August 2008) was diagnosed with pulmonary disease & resigned from the Astronaut Corps in July 1968.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Original Nineteen
The Dave Brubeck Quartet, "Take Five" from Time Out: 50th Anniversary Legacy Edition (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MCXLIV

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 4 (the "Scientists"), Part V
Edward George Gibson (born 8 November 1936)—He flew Skylab 4 (1973-1974); he left N.A.S.A. in 1974 to study the solar physics data gathered by the three Skylab crews, but returned in 1977 to help select & train scientist-astronauts for the Space Shuttle era; he worked in West Germany on Spacelab & was a project manager for the proposed Space Station Freedom, eventually realized as the I.S.S.

Commentary: As of this publication, Doctor Gibson is still alive, aged eighty-nine.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Scientists—Ed Gibson
Thomas Dolby, "She Blinded Me with Science" from The Golden Age of Wireless (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Ed Gibson
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCIV: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № MI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part IV
"The Explorers' Club," № MX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part V

The Wayback Machine Tour of the Scientists
"The Explorers' Club," № MXCVI: Astronaut Group 4 (Part I)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXXX: Jack Schmitt (Part II)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXXXII: Joe Kerwin (Part III)
"The Explorers' Club," № MCXL: Owen Garriott (Part IV)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MCXL

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 4 (the "Scientists"), Part IV
Owen Kay Garriott (22 November 1930-15 April 2019), rank unknown, U.S. Navy—He flew Skylab 3 (1973) & S.T.S.-9 (Spacelab 1, 1983), the only Skylab Science Pilot to fly on the Space Shuttle; he conducted three E.V.A. during Skylab 3; he held an Extra Class ham radio license & pioneered the use of ham radio from orbit during Spacelab 1; he helped develop the I.S.S.'s Destiny lab module.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Scientists—Owen Garriott
Elvis Costello & the Attractions, "Radio, Radio" from This Year's Model (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Owen Garriott
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part IV
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCV: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCVII: The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-9, Part II

Requiescat in pace.

The Explorers' Club, № MCXXXII

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 4 (the "Scientists"), Part III
Joseph Peter Kerwin (born 19 February 1932), Captain, U.S. Navy—He flew Skylab 2 (1973); he was the first Science Pilot & the first American physician in space; after the Challenger disaster, he wrote a report on the deaths of the crew; after leaving N.A.S.A., he co-invented the Simplified Aid For E.V.A. Rescue (S.A.F.E.R.) jet pack for the proposed Space Station Freedom, still in use today on the I.S.S.

Commentary: As a Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) during Apollo 13, Kerwin uttered the iconic line, addressing the doomed Lunar Module that had saved the astronauts' lives by serving as a lifeboat but was soon to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere:

"Farewell, Aquarius, & we thank you."

As of this publication, Captain Kerwin is still alive, age ninety-three.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day!: The Scientists—Joe Kerwin
The Aquabats!, "Doing Science!" from The Aquabats! Super Show! Television Soundtrack: Volume One (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary:

"Science will save the day!
Science, let's shout, Hooray!
Life gets better every day
'Cause of science!…"

The Wayback Machine Tour of Joe Kerwin
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLV: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part III

Semper exploro.

The Stars My Destination: Skylab 4

Skylab 4 (16 November 1973-8 February 1974)
Gerald Carr, Commander
Edward Gibson, Science Pilot
William Pogue, Pilot

Command Module: CSM-118

The Wayback Machine Tour of Skylab 4
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCIV: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № MI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part IV
"The Explorers' Club," № MX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part V

The Stars My Destination: Skylab 3

Skylab 3 (28 July-25 September 1973)
Alan Bean, Commander
Owen Garriott, Science Pilot
Jack Lousma, Pilot

Command Module: CSM-117

The Wayback Machine Tour of Skylab 3
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part IV

The Stars My Destination: Skylab 1 & Skylab 2

Skylab 2 (25 May-22 June 1973)
Charles "Pete" Conrad, Commander
Joseph Kerwin, Science Pilot
Paul Weitz, Pilot

Command Module: CSM-116

The Wayback Machine Tour of Skylab 1 & Skylab 2
"The Explorers' Club," № CML: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 1, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLV: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 2, Part III

Commentary: I ought to have done this back in February 2024, after the fiftieth anniversary of Skylab 4, just as I did for the Apollo missions in December 2022, after the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 17. I regret the error. Stay tuned tomorrow & overmorrow for Skylab 3 & Skylab 4.

The Explorers' Club, № MXCVI

Operation AXIOM: The 60th Anniversary of Astronaut Group 4 (the "Scientists"), Part I
29 June 1965: N.A.S.A.'s Astronaut Group 4—the "Scientists"—were announced: Owen K. Garriott, Edward G. Gibson, Duane E. "Doc" Graveline, Joseph P. Kerwin, F. Curtis Michel, & Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt; one was a Moonwalker, three flew on Skylab; they were the first class of astronauts not drawn from the ranks of military pilots; each was required to have a doctorate (Ph.D., M.D., etc.).

Commentary: Graveline was asked to resign from N.A.S.A. less than two months later, on 18 August 1965. Michel resigned from N.A.S.A. on 18 August 1969, apparently convinced he would never be assigned to a mission.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Scientists
The Phenomenauts, "Science and Honor" from For All Mankind (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MLXVI

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Salyut 4
26 December 1974: Salyut 4 ("Salute 4") lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome atop a Proton-K rocket; A.K.A. D.O.S.-4, this was a civilian space station like Salyut 1 (D.O.S.-1); Salyut 4 carried the O.S.T.-1 solar telescope, two X-ray telescopes, a cosmic ray detector, visual cameras, & infrared & ultraviolet spectrometers; Salyut 4 burned up upon re-entry, 3 February 1977.

Commentary: Salyut 4 paralleled the American Skylab: it hosted its first crew for one month (twenty-nine days; Skylab 2: twenty-eight days) & its second crew for two months (sixty-three days; Skylab 3: fifty-eight days). Here the two stations part ways: Skylab hosted a third crew for three months (eighty-three days) while Saylut 4 hosted the uncrewed Soyuz 20 for three months. Skylab hosted nine astronauts for one hundred sixty-nine days; Saylut 4 hosted four cosmonauts for ninety-two days.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Saylut 4
Leonard Rosenman, "Chekov's Run" from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home—Music from the Motion Picture (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MLVIII

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 3 (the "Fourteen"), Part XI
Alan LaVern Bean (15 March 1932-26 May 2018), Captain, U.S. Navy—He flew Apollo 12 (Yankee Clipper & Intrepid, 1969) & commanded Skylab 3 (1973); he was the last member of Astronaut Group 3 to fly & the fourth of the twelve Moonwalkers; he was assigned to Apollo 12 after C.C. Williams died in a plane crash; he was a painter, the only artistic Moonwalker, & mixed Moon dust into his paints.

Commentary: I am steward of a copy of Captain Bean's book, with Andrew Chaikin, Apollo: An Eyewitness Account by an Astronaut/Explorer Artist/Moonwalker, which includes reproductions of many of his paintings, alas, without any Moon dust.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Fourteen—Al Bean
J.J. Heller, "Painted Red" from Painted Red (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Al Bean
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № DCCXX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part I
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXX: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part II
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXIII: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part III
"The Explorers' Club," № CMLXXXI: The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 3, Part IV

Commentary: The above picture is titled The Fantasy. It depicts Bean's fantasy of Apollo 12 C.M.P. Dick Gordon joining him & CDR Pete Conrad on the Moon. After Apollo 12, Conrad & Bean both transferred to the Skylab program, eventually commanding Skylabs 2 & 3. Gordon stayed in the Apollo program, hoping to walk on the Moon; he was slated to command Apollo 18, the last Moon landing to be cancelled by budget cuts.

Requiescat in pace.

The Explorers' Club, № MX

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part V
3-8 February 1974: Carr & Gibson conducted an E.V.A. to retrieve film canisters from the Apollo Telescope Mount; the trio set a new spaceflight endurance record: eighty-four days; after the rocky first half of the mission, productivity increased markedly & the crew exceeded all of their objectives; the unnamed C.M. splashed down in the Pacific & was recovered by the U.S.S. New Orleans.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Skylab 4
They Might Be Giants, "Another First Kiss" from Mink Car (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № MI

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part IV
28 December 1973: Carr, Gibson, & Pogue did not respond to hails from mission control for about ninety minutes, due to a misunderstanding amongst the trio as to whom was supposed to monitor the radio; in 1976, The New Yorker magazine fabricated the story of a deliberate "strike" (or "mutiny"), defaming the crew by misapplying quotes about the post-E.V.A. rest days on 26 & 30 December.

Commentary: The Skylab "strike" is a fiction, a fantasy for which there is no evidence. Yet in 2014 The New York Times libeled Skylab 4 astronaut Bill Pogue by mentioning the "strike" in his obituary, as if it was fact instead of fiction. For shame!

Commander Jerry Carr had already requested a discussion with the ground about the tensions & scheduling issues that were hampering Skylab 4. The problem, in brief, is that Mission Control had expected the Skylab 4 crew to be, from the jump, as super productive as the Skylab 3 crew (Bean, Garriott, & Lousma) had been at the end of their mission, not as productive as Skylab 3 had been at the start of their mission. Skylab 4 fell behind that unrealistic schedule & Houston, to get the mission back on track, started micromanaging every task. The situation soon resulted in a negative feedback loop. After the "sensitivity session" on 30 December, all non-time-dependent tasks were placed on a "shopping list," from which the astronauts could choose what to do & when, restoring much of the astronauts' agency. The Skylab 4 crew's productivity skyrocketed, surpassing that of Skylab 3.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Skylab 4
Michael Giacchino, "End of the First Leg" from Speed Racer: Original Motion Picture Score (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Semper exploro.

The Explorers' Club, № CMXCVIII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Skylab 4, Part III
13-29 December 1973: The trio observed Comet Kohoutek—discovered in March 1973—the first men to study any comet from space; Carr & Pogue conducted an E.V.A. (25 December) & Carr & Gibson conducted an E.V.A. (29 December), to photograph the comet; the crew spoke several times with Dr. Luboš Kohoutek, the namesake discoverer, including a dialogue via teleconference (28 December).

Commentary: The Mariner 10 probe, then in transit to Venus & Mercury, also took measurements of Comet Kohoutek.

The spacewalks to observe & photograph Comet Kohoutek were a late addition to the Skylab 4 flight plan, leading to a relative shortage of training, increasing the crew's stress level. On 27 December, midway between the two successful spacewalks, Commander Jerry Carr radioed the ground asking for an assessment of his crew's performance at the midpoint of the mission & requesting a discussion of the scheduling issues & tensions that had arisen between the Skylab 4 crew & Mission Control.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Skylab 4
Jerry Goldsmith, "First Contact" from Star Trek: First Contact (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Semper exploro.