Selling NASA: skylab student experiment project

Abstract

When Saturn V lifted off for the last time in 1973, it carried the efforts of some extraordinary contributors: high school students. The rocket's payload, the Skylab Orbital Workshop, contained equipment to carry out student-designed experiments. These experiments were selected from 3409 proposals submitted by US high school students for the Skylab Student Experiment Project. How was the Experiment Project implemented? More importantly, why did NASA launch this Project and how effect was it? During the late 1950s to 1960s, NASA was responsible for leading the US against the Soviet Union in terms of space exploration. After the Apollo moonlandings and Soviet's lack of matching progress, the impetus for nationalistic competition faded, reducing NASA's significance and potentially their budgetary legitimacy. To maintain a high level of funding to support Skylab, NASA strived to boost its popularity by altering its image to encompass greater scientific and educational objectives. The Skylab Student Experiment Project was one such example. By providing students the opportunity to involve directly with the Skylab program, NASA endeavored to create a favorable image among voters. In addition, the Project gave NASA increased publicity and reminded the public of NASA's important scientific contribution to the society. © 2012 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.