Wreath for Bill Pogue Memorial

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Former NASA astronauts Gerald P. Carr, left, and Edward G. Gibson place a wreath on an easel during a ceremony to honor former NASA astronaut William R. Pogue at the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. In the background is a painting by former NASA astronaut Alan Bean. Col. Pogue, pilot on NASA's Skylab 4 mission in 1973-74, died March 3. He was 84 years old. Skylab 4 was the third and final manned visit to the Skylab orbital workshop, launched Nov. 16, 1973, and concluded Feb. 8, 1974. At 84 days, 1 hour and 15 minutes, Skylab 4 was the longest manned space flight to that date. Pogue was accompanied on the record-setting 34.5-million-mile flight by Commander Carr and science-pilot Gibson. They conducted dozens of experiments and science demonstrations during their 1,214 orbits of Earth. Pogue logged 13 hours and 31 minutes in two spacewalks outside the orbital workshop. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/content/skylab-4-pilot-william-pogue-dies. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett