[meteorite-list] Skylad Astronaut, Ed Gibson, on Micrometeorite Damage

[MARK BOSTICK]

Hello list,

I recently corresponded with former astronaut Ed Gibson, was the 
science-pilot on Skylab 4, the third and final manned flight to the Skylab 
space station (November 16, 1973 to February 8, 1974). Gibson was kind 
enough to answer a few questions for me.  For your convenience I have put my 
question, and followed it by Gibson's answers, below.

Mark: Did any meteorite damage happen during the SL-4 flight?

Ed Gibson: We had no damage of consequence to Skylab.  Don Lind, also an 
astronaut, had a micrometeoroid collection device outside Skylab for the 
duration of all three missions.  Refer to Don for the results.

Mark: It is my understanding that micrometeorites form little craters when 
impactite the ship.  Have you ever felt any of these impacts and did you see 
any damage on the space craft after you landed?

Ed Gibson: No, we did not see any pits.  Of course, we did not examine the 
Command Module like the engineers did.  After a re-entry, though, it would 
be difficult to see small impacts.  A Shuttle flight did have a pit in its 
front window from a collision with a paint chip.

Mark: Is there any special tools NASA sends with astronauts, or special 
training you where given in the case a meteorite should strike and heavily 
damage a craft while in use?

Ed Gibson: On Skylab, we had "circular blister patches" of many different 
sizes (3" to about 10" as I remember) to cover any hole that a meteoroid hit 
would have made.  They were flat for about the outer 1/4 with a thick putty 
to act as a sealer.  The center was bowed inward into the pressure side to 
avoid any rough edges of the hole.  We trained on what to do if we had a hit 
or a rapid-pressure drop (head for the Command Module first then work our 
way back into the station to find the source of the leak.

(end)

I will try to return to posting some of the Nininger-Smithsonian letters 
soon.  Haven't been feeling well this last week.

Clear Skies,
Mark Bostick
www.meteoritearticles.com