Space History Photo: Skylab Shroud in Plum Brook Space Power Facility

News
By NASA Archives
published

space history, nasa, skylab
The Skylab Shroud is installed on Dec. 3, 1970, at the NASA Lewis Research Center Plum Brook Station, Space Power Facility. (Image credit: Paul Riedel/Martin Brown.)

In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, Skylab's Shroud is installed in the NASA Lewis Research Center's (now known as the Glenn Research Center) Plum Brook Station, Space Power Facility.

The shroud protected the upper section of the Skylab space station, including its solar power arrays. When it was constructed, the Space Power Facility (SPF) was the world's largest vacuum chamber. It stands more than 122 feet high, 100 feet in diameter and provides a vacuum environment for the study of space propulsion.

Originally commissioned for nuclear-electric propulsion studies, the SPF has been recommissioned for current and future use in the ongoing research and development of space propulsion systems.

For more information browse the Plum Brook Facility Page.

Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

NASA Archives
NASA Archives
U.S. Space Agency

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes,  satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. It's astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, of visit: nasa.gov.