Selling NASA: Skylab Student Experiment Project

(1971-1974)

Y. H. Phoebe Tang M. Phil Candidate, Department of History

The University of Hong Kong

Email: phoebemus@gmail.com

Picture taken at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Poster from NASA Headquarters Historical Reference Collection

- Over 87,000 students received project kits

- 301 out of 3409 proposals selected

- 25 national winners

The Competition

I. Background of Skylab Student Experiment Project

II. NASA answering to public concerns and boosting public interest

III. Evaluating the Skylab Student Experiment Project

I. Background of the

Skylab Student Experiment Project

Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan 1973

NASA appropriations

Year Percentage of national budget

1966 4.41%1967 3.35%1968 2.65%1969 2.46%1970 1.92%1971 1.61%1972 1.48%1973 1.35%

1968

- Over 60 percent students viewed space program

as correlated with US’ military race against Soviet

Union

- Space program to keep US as number one

superpower

- Appropriations to be spent on social problems

Late 1960s and early 1970s

- Enrollment in science classes dropped

Students’ views towards space and science

II. NASA answering to public concerns

and boosting public interest

“...an unparalleled opportunity for direct public involvement in the values and benefits of the space program...”

- Dale D. Myers, Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, 1971

Students’ Involvement

- NASA advisor or a Principal Investigator

- 5-day Preliminary Design Review

- 2-day Critical Design Review

Booklet from NASA Headquarters Historical Reference Collection

III. Evaluating the Skylab Student Experiment Project

“...renew interest in NASA and its activities...” - Lee Summerlin, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Science Education

“...an enriching and lasting experience...”“...a feeling for the meaning of being a scientist.”

- Jeanne Leventhal, student investigator

Houston Chronicle, 21 July 1972

http://history.nasa.gov/EP-177/ch5-3.html

Washington Star-News, 27 July 1973

1974 Polls

- Decreased spending in space

- Space exploration not in spending priorities

- Job training and pollution control

Conclusion

http://www.youtube.com/user/spacelab

Y. H. Phoebe Tang M. Phil Candidate, Department of History

The University of Hong Kong

Selling NASA: Skylab Student Experiment Project

(1971-1974)

Email: phoebemus@gmail.com