ALBANY, N.Y. — Denver native and former astronaut Gerald "Jerry" Carr passed away Wednesday in at the age of 88.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Carr was a "pioneer of long duration spaceflight," who commanded the last Skylab mission.
"We send our condolences to the family and loved ones of astronaut Gerald 'Jerry' Carr, whose work provided a deeper understanding of life on Earth and in space," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
Carr, who died in Albany, N.Y., worked with an all-rookie crew to create a science program designed to test the effects of long duration spaceflight on the human body while he served as commander of the Skylab 4 mission. His crew also studied Earth observations associated with the Earth Resources Experiment Package (EREP) and solar observations from instruments mounted on the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM).
After commanding the Skylab 4 mission, Carr worked on the Space Shuttle Program, where he worked on the cockpit shuttle design.
“We began to realize the importance of the relativity of the human to the piece of machinery you're working with and what the weightless environment does to your skeleton and affects the way you do your work," Carr said of long-duration spaceflight.
Carr's contributions are considered pivotal to NASA’s ability to support humans living and working in space long term.
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