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Parasol Sunshade Fabric Mission: Skylab 1-3 (SL-1 to SL-4)   Crew: Charles C. Conrad Jr. Paul J. Weitz Joseph P. Kerwin Alan L. Bean Jack R. Lousma Owen K. Garriott Gerald P. Carr William R. Pogue Edward G. Gibson Launch: May 14, 1973   Reentry: July 11, 1979   Comment: First U.S. space station This small cut of fabric is from the same material that the parasol sunshade deployed by the SL-2 crew was devised. The 24 by 22 ft. shield lowered Skylab's temperature to a habitable 75 degrees Fahrenheit after the micrometeoroid panel designed to protect the crew from solar radiation was ripped off during launch. This swatch is attached to a 2.5- by 4-inch laminated card that was presented by the three Skylab crews to a NASA employee who contributed to the space station program. back to Artifacts © 1999-2008 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Questions? E-mail contact@collectspace.com