The sign accompanying the Skylab A7LB spacesuit. It reads
Skylab Spacesuit
Nine Skylab crewmen manned the nation's first space station for a total of 171
days during 1973 and 1974. They wore simplified versions of the Apollo
spacesuit while doing the historic repair of the Skylab and changing film
canisters in the solar observatory cameras. Jammed solar panels and the
loss of a micrometeoroid shield during the launch of the Skylab orbital
workshop necessitated several spacewalks for freeing the solar panels and for
erecting a substitute shield.
The spacesuit changes from Apollo to Skylab included a
less-expensive-to-manufacture and lightweight thermal micrometeoroid
overgarment, elimination of the lunar boots, and simplified and less expensive
extravehicular visor assembly over the helmet. The liquid-cooling garment was
retained from Apollo, but umbilicals and astronaut life support assembly (ALSA)
replaced backpacks for life support during spacewalks.
The spacesuit on display was used by astronauts training for the third Skylab mission.