Skylab

This version of the Cape Kennedy Medals Skylab 3 patch has a distinctive darker blue border. It has the typical taped tail of a Cape Kennedy Medals patch but has a hard plastic back. A cloth back version is also to be found. 

Virtually identical to the A-B Emblem and Swissartex 3" versions.

Virtually identical to the A-B Emblem and Swissartex 3" versions.

The wider, taller typeface for the names gives this patch away.

This Skylab II patch is possibly part of a set of modern reproduction Skylab and Apollo patches produced by Cape Kennedy Medals.

Rescuing astronauts from Skylab was possible in the most likely emergency circumstances. The crew could use the CSM to quickly return to Earth if the station suffered serious damage. If the CSM failed, the spacecraft and Saturn IB for the next Skylab mission would have been launched with two astronauts to retrieve the crew; given Skylab's ample supplies, its residents would have been able to wait up to several weeks for the rescue mission.

This is a replica patch produced by Randy Hunt.

Rescuing astronauts from Skylab was possible in the most likely emergency circumstances. The crew could use the CSM to quickly return to Earth if the station suffered serious damage. If the CSM failed, the spacecraft and Saturn IB for the next Skylab mission would have been launched with two astronauts to retrieve the crew; given Skylab's ample supplies, its residents would have been able to wait up to several weeks for the rescue mission.

This is a replica patch produced by Randy Hunt.

This Skylab patch has also been seen without the red engine glow. 

Skylab 4 (also SL-4 and SLM-3) was the third Skylab mission and placed the third and final crew aboard the first American space station.
The mission started November 16, 1973 with the launch of three astronauts on a Saturn IB rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and lasted 84 days, one hour and 16 minutes. A total of 6,051 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by Skylab 4 astronauts performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, observation of the Comet Kohoutek and other experiments.

Is is possible that the Wolf-Brown patches are repackacked A-B Emblem patches.

Skylab 4 (also SL-4 and SLM-3) was the third Skylab mission and placed the third and final crew aboard the first American space station.
The mission started November 16, 1973 with the launch of three astronauts on a Saturn IB rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and lasted 84 days, one hour and 16 minutes. A total of 6,051 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by Skylab 4 astronauts performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, observation of the Comet Kohoutek and other experiments.

The Lion Brothers Skylab 3 patch is distinct and readily identifiable by the presence of an embroidered Comet Kahoutec. No other manufacturer features this. The patch also has the hallmark hidden initials "PCG" upside down in the tree foliage. 

Skylab 4 (also SL-4 and SLM-3) was the third Skylab mission and placed the third and final crew aboard the first American space station.
The mission started November 16, 1973 with the launch of three astronauts on a Saturn IB rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida and lasted 84 days, one hour and 16 minutes. A total of 6,051 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by Skylab 4 astronauts performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, observation of the Comet Kohoutek and other experiments.

The A-B Emblem Skylab 3 patch can be found with both cloth and plastic backing.

Skylab 3 (also SL-3 and SLM-2) was the second manned mission to the first American space station, Skylab. The mission began July 28, 1973, with the launch of three astronauts on the Saturn IB rocket, and lasted 59 days, 11 hours and 9 minutes. A total of 1,084.7 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by the Skylab 3 crew performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, and other experiments.

Is is possible that the Wolf-Brown patches are repackacked A-B Emblem patches.

Skylab 1 (also SL-2 and SLM-1) was the first manned mission to Skylab, the first U.S. orbital space station. The mission was launched on a Saturn IB rocket and carried a three-person crew to the station. The name Skylab 2 also refers to the vehicle used for that mission. The Skylab 2 mission established a record for human spaceflight duration. 

Is is possible that the Wolf-Brown patches are repackacked A-B Emblem patches.

Skylab 3 (also SL-3 and SLM-2) was the second manned mission to the first American space station, Skylab. The mission began July 28, 1973, with the launch of three astronauts on the Saturn IB rocket, and lasted 59 days, 11 hours and 9 minutes. A total of 1,084.7 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by the Skylab 3 crew performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, and other experiments.

The Lion Brothers Skylab II patch has a bare cloth back and features hidden crew initials "BGL" upsidedown at the bottom of the red fill stitching.

Skylab 3 (also SL-3 and SLM-2) was the second manned mission to the first American space station, Skylab. The mission began July 28, 1973, with the launch of three astronauts on the Saturn IB rocket, and lasted 59 days, 11 hours and 9 minutes. A total of 1,084.7 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by the Skylab 3 crew performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, and other experiments.

The Cape Kennedy Medals Skylab II patch has a cloth back and features a radial background stitching.

Skylab 3 (also SL-3 and SLM-2) was the second manned mission to the first American space station, Skylab. The mission began July 28, 1973, with the launch of three astronauts on the Saturn IB rocket, and lasted 59 days, 11 hours and 9 minutes. A total of 1,084.7 astronaut-utilization hours were tallied by the Skylab 3 crew performing scientific experiments in the areas of medical activities, solar observations, Earth resources, and other experiments.

Available with cloth and plastic-back

Skylab 2 (also SL-2 and SLM-1) was the first manned mission to Skylab, the first U.S. orbital space station. The mission was launched on a Saturn IB rocket and carried a three-person crew to the station. The name Skylab 2 also refers to the vehicle used for that mission. The Skylab 2 mission established a record for human spaceflight duration. 

The A-B Emblem version is available with both cloth and plastic-coated backs.

Souvenir 3" version, cloth/cheesecloth back

At first pass the patch is identical to the A-B Emblems souvenir 4" patch, however, there are a number of subtle differences. There is stitching in the solar panel riser as well a tighter stitching along the solar panels. The "United States of America" is slightly smaller.

The rest of the stitching remains the same so it is most likely that this is early A-B issue. 

A-B Emblems souvenir version, 4", plastic coated back

The Hilborn Hamburger version is identified by the inner black border of the rainbow. 4"

SMEAT stands for, Skylab Medical Experiments Altitude Tests. In the Summer of 1972 astronauts Robert Crippen, Karol Bobko and Bill Thornton spent 56 days in a Skylab mock-up at the Manned Spacecraft Center's altitude chamber to simulate the actual conditions that flight crews would experience in orbit. The test provided extensive medical data, but the mock-up did not contain duplicates of the experiments that would fly on Skylab and so the crew had plenty of time to read books, assemble model cars and learn how to speak Russian. Later Crippen and Bobko would perform support roles on the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975.
This is a modern reproduction

Skylab Project Patch

"SUE HELEN-MARY GRATIA", for Sue Bean, Helen-Mary Garriott and Gratia Lousma. The patch was conceived by artist Jacques Tiziou, and designed by Ardis Shanks Settle.

Stitching here indicates this is a modern reproduction

This pach is designed to be autographed by the astronaut.

This patch bears the crew initials between the solar arrays above "Weitz"

NEW ORLEANS next participated in recovery operations for the Skylab II and Skylab III missions. She was also present for the recovery of astronauts Stafford, Slayton, and Brand during the joint American-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz mission of July 05, 1975.