This equipment was developed for a biomedical experiment conducted by astronauts aboard Skylab, a U.S. space station occupied by three crews in 1973-1974. The purpose of the experiment was to determine the body mass of each crewmember and through daily checks to monitor changes during their time in space. The chair, suspended on springs from the frame, served as a scale. Correlating variations in body mass with other biomedical data helped scientists understand the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the astronauts' health and fitness.

NASA transferred this training version of the flight equipment to the Museum in 1979.

Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

Object Details

Country of Origin

United States of America

Type

EQUIPMENT-Scientific Devices

Manufacturer

NASA - Johnson Space Center

Dimensions

unknown; need to make in-situ measurements

Materials

metal, fabric

Inventory Number

A19790409000

Credit Line

Transferred from NASA Johnson Space Center

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.