During the Skylab missions in 1973, astronauts made significant meteorological observations, including the development of Hurricane Ellen and lightning patterns over the Andes. Their data improved storm forecasting and emphasized the importance of human observation in space, as noted in literature on Skylab’s legacy.
In the summer of 1973, astronauts aboard Skylab 3 witnessed awe-inspiring events during their 858 orbits around Earth, notably observing Hurricane Ellen developing off the West African coast. Astronaut Alan L. Bean remarked on the impressive sight, stating, “There’s a nice storm down there. She looks pretty big. She’s got a lot of clouds.”
Understanding the significance of their observations for meteorology, Bean and his crew captured stereo photographs of Hurricane Ellen from their low-Earth orbit. These images provided crucial three-dimensional data that meteorologists later utilized to analyze the formation and function of clouds within tropical systems.
Similarly, Skylab 4 astronaut Edward G. Gibson collected valuable data from storms, specifically lightning patterns observed over the Andes Mountains in South America. Gibson noted, “A few things impressed me here: one is the fact that they could go off simultaneously or near simultaneously over a large distance—sympathetic lightning bolts… Some sort of collective phenomenon appears to be at work.”
The contributions of the Skylab astronauts extended beyond Hurricane Ellen and Gibson’s lightning observations, offering crucial mesoscale weather data that enhanced storm forecasting during all three crewed missions. Moreover, these findings bolstered the viewpoint among scientists and mission planners that human observers remain irreplaceable in space for their unique insights.
The authors of “Living and Working in Space: A History of Skylab” summarized this sentiment aptly, stating: “Man’s ability to discriminate, to select the important features of a wide vista, and to respond effectively to unexpected events constituted his greatest contribution to orbital investigations.”
The Skylab missions in 1973 provided invaluable meteorological observations that significantly advanced the understanding of weather phenomena. Through their direct observations, astronauts like Alan L. Bean and Edward G. Gibson contributed essential data that improved storm forecasting and underscored the ongoing necessity for human presence in space for effective scientific observation. The insights gained from these missions continue to influence meteorological research today.
Original Source: www.nasa.gov
