everett (12/16/82)
#N:hp-pcd:8400006:000:1832
hp-pcd!everett Dec 16 08:29:00 1982
From: Everett Kaser
hplabs!hp-pcd
Re: space sickness
There is a very interesting book about the old Skylab missions called, I think,
'A House In Space'. I don't remember the authors name. It's a paperback that I
found in a used book store and it was probably published about 1974 or 1975
or maybe 1976. Any....way, it covers all three missions, and talks quite a bit
about the space sickness encountered (experienced ?) by the various members of
the crews (not all experienced it). It also discusses how the astronauts, upon
entering a 'room' of the skylab, would experience a few moments of disorient-
ation, then their minds would 'lock-onto' the room and establish an 'up' and
a 'down' and then everything would be fine (until another of the astronauts
would enter the room 'upside-down', and then things would get interesting
again). However, the space-sickness was usually, if at all, experienced only
for the first few hours they were in space, and then they'd be all right for
the rest of the mission.
The second crew got into some trouble with mission control when they
concealed the fact that one of their members had gotten sick (blew his cookies)
because mission control had a policy of keeping the crew in the command
capsule for a day if any of the crew got sick, to give them a chance to recover
before entering the larger skylab area. (This was because the larger area made
it easier for the astronauts to become disoriented and thus get sick. However,
once their systems had gotten used to the weightlessness (undirectedness ?)
of space, then the larger volume was no problem.)
Anyway, it's a worthwhile book. I'll try to find it at home tonight, and
I'll post a response to this note giving the authors name.
Not afraid to get spacesick, if they'll just give me the chance,
Everett Kaser.everett (12/18/82)
#R:hp-pcd:8400006:hp-pcd:8400007:000:609
hp-pcd!everett Dec 17 16:06:00 1982
From: Everett Kaser
hplabs!hp-pcd
Due to my forgetfullness, I forgot to look up the authors name last night,
but I received the name in the mail from Paul, so I'll post his note:
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>From ogcvax!allegra!phr Fri Dec 17 13:47:27 1982
To: hp-pcd!everett
Subject: skylab book
A House in Space is by Henry S. F. Cooper, who was (maybe still is)
a science writer for the N. Y. Times. I can dig up more data from
my copy at home if you can't find yours.
paul
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