I know that Skylab reentered due to significant solar activity heating the upper atmosphere, and I also know that non-human caused PODs are automatically categorized into ASB.
Instead of postulating a POD with the sun, I’m going to postulate a POD where the tele-operated retrieval system is launched on an unmanned rocket (such a mission was proposed and rejected ITTL), docks with skylab, and saves it, leaving it two years longer in orbit until Space Shuttle Columbia can show up. So, with skylab available as a shuttle destination early on (thus oblivating the need for billion dollar space station construction, which Congress was always willing to cut on), what POD does this have on U.S. space exploration? Would skylab form the “core” of Freedom-esque station? Would such a POD be early enough to leave some Apollo hardware to reuse as a “crew return vehicle” in emergencies (Apollo CSM launched in shuttle bay, docked with skylab as lifeboat)?
EDIT: how hard would it have been to change the atmosphere?
Instead of postulating a POD with the sun, I’m going to postulate a POD where the tele-operated retrieval system is launched on an unmanned rocket (such a mission was proposed and rejected ITTL), docks with skylab, and saves it, leaving it two years longer in orbit until Space Shuttle Columbia can show up. So, with skylab available as a shuttle destination early on (thus oblivating the need for billion dollar space station construction, which Congress was always willing to cut on), what POD does this have on U.S. space exploration? Would skylab form the “core” of Freedom-esque station? Would such a POD be early enough to leave some Apollo hardware to reuse as a “crew return vehicle” in emergencies (Apollo CSM launched in shuttle bay, docked with skylab as lifeboat)?
EDIT: how hard would it have been to change the atmosphere?
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