The Skylab program studied the human body's reaction to long-duration flight in a microgravity (weightless) environment. Skylab astronauts used a stationary bicycle without wheels (ergometer) identical to this one to measure their heart rate, breathing, and work level while they exercised. Electrical recordings of heart activity of each astronaut were taken before, during, and after flight to determine changes in heart functions that might have been caused by the long-duration flights of 28, 59, and 84 days. They also measured their oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output as they exercised.
NASA donated this ergometer to the Museum for display in the backup Skylab orbital workshop in 1976.
