| Abstract: | The Apollo Telescope Mount on Skylab, launched into Earth orbit on May 14, 1973, as the first manned solar observatory in space, has provided a major advance in our knowledge about the Sun. In addition to solar physics research, it explored the advantages and limitations of man as an observer and operator of a major scientific spacecraft, and provided concepts for potential application to future space programs. The ATM contained eight solar telescopes and provided these instruments with the necessary pointing reference and control, electrical power, thermal control, and telemetry and command links. Additionally, the experiments and supporting systems were integrated with the necessary controls and displays to permit complete operation and control by the astronaut crew.The ATM, during the nearly nine-month mission, provided data from the experiments which exceeded the pre-mission expectations in terms of quality, quantity, and the spectrum of observed solar activity. Areas of potentially significant new scientific findings included rapid large scale changes in the corona, flare trigger mechanisms and energy relationships, coronal holes and their relationship to solar wind, and the existence of numerous bright spots in the X-ray corona. Thorough analysis of the vast amount of data returned will require several years, but the indications to date are that the mission has provided extremely valuable scientific information which will probably result in significant changes to the currently accepted solar model. |
