HOUSTON: The Space Agency reported today [May 16] soaring temperatures have made the interior of “Skylab-1” uninhabitable and said a space walk by the first astronauts to visit the station would probably be necessary to correct the problem.

The 90-ton “Skylab” … [experienced] problems when solar panels designed to turn sunlight into electrical energy and deflect solar heat failed to open. The interior temperature of the 2600-million-dollar craft, now orbiting 220 miles above the earth, is a sweltering 110 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA said that the personal craft of the astronauts would hitch up to “Skylab” and they would enter “Skylab.” Then they would go outside “Skylab” to cover the part of the craft exposed to searing sunlight with an anti-heat shield.

Meanwhile, temperatures may be soaring inside “Skylab”. But the ice cream in the space station’s deep freeze has not started to melt. The vanilla ice cream is stored with the frozen foods in five freezers aboard the station. Neither problem has apparently hit the freezers which run from the depleted electric supply but dehydrated and other canned foods could be affected. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2023