Word: skylab
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...they were nearing the end of their second month in space, Kovalenok and Ivanchenkov appeared to be thriving aboard Salyut, understandably. The spacious ship includes such amenities as a new electronic control system that the Soviets say can take over navigation and control chores from the crew, a shower (Skylab has one too) and a small water-recycling plant. There is also an abundance of scientific equipment, for both observing the earth and performing tests in space. Last week, for instance, the cosmonauts began a new experiment with sprouting seeds to see how well they might grow in zero...
...contrast with these high-flying Soviet space efforts, NASA is still struggling to save the unoccupied Skylab space station from plunging prematurely to earth. Late last year, Skylab began to show a dangerous loss of altitude, a byproduct of atmospheric effects caused by unexpectedly strong sunspot activity during the current solar cycle. Skylab's descent is being hastened by its wobbling motion, which increases friction as the ship moves through stray molecules of atmosphere in its path. Ground controllers twice tried unsuccessfully to stabilize the craft, hoping to keep it aloft at least until...
...raging on the sun, and more charged atomic particles-which make up the solar wind-are being hurled into space. The stronger solar wind heats the thin gases in the outer fringe of the earth's atmosphere, which causes them to expand outward into the orbit of Skylab. That increases the drag on the craft...
...keep Skylab aloft long enough to be saved by the shuttle, space engineers have devised an elaborate rescue plan. In March, they switched on Skylab's long-dormant solar-powered electrical system to charge batteries and heat frozen equipment. Last week they were preparing to turn on the ship's stabilizing gyroscopes and fire its small attitude control thrusters. They hoped to stop Skylab from wobbling through space and significantly reduce drag...
...danger of losing Skylab remains real. Space agency contractors must get the bugs out of the shuttle in time and complete the supplemental rocket engine that it will carry to Skylab. Installed aboard the huge craft, the rocket could boost it to safety. Says one worried space engineer: "There just isn't any time to fool around if we're to save Skylab...