Noble Blood — Very Special Episodes: Skylab Is Falling

Podcast: Noble Blood
Host: Dana Schwartz, with Jason English, Jo Norman, Dr. Bonnie Dunbar, and Jeff Jarvis
Release Date: December 13, 2025

Overview of the Episode

"Skylab Is Falling" tells the extraordinary story of how NASA’s first space station — Skylab — plummeted back to Earth in 1979, scattering debris across the small Australian town of Esperance and changing the lives of some of its residents. Host Dana Schwartz, along with guests, explores the public spectacle, media circus, and human stories that accompanied Skylab’s dramatic re-entry, turning a doomsday scenario into a peculiar, almost comedic chapter of history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Night the Sky Fell (02:17–04:55)

• Esperance, Australia: Small, sleepy town sees history as burning lights and thunderous sounds light up the sky. Locals, including teenager Jo Norman, witness what feels like the apocalypse.
  • Jo Norman (03:04): “It was like fireworks. But it was the noise that came with it.”
  • Residents describe the event as awe-inspiring yet terrifying.
• Skylab's Return: The world watches, a mix of dread and amusement, as 77 tons of space station races to Earth in a spectacular firework show.
• Dana Schwartz (03:48): “For once, Chicken Little is right. The sky really is falling.”

2. Skylab: From Triumph to Tumbling (06:09–10:06)

• Post-Apollo Hangover: Skylab, symbolizing the next phase of space exploration, becomes an orbital headache after launch damage leaves it powerless to correct its trajectory.
• Dr. Bonnie Dunbar on Skylab’s Value (07:27, 08:50):
  • (07:27): “That was the first time we learned that if you’re up there for about 30 days, or 90 days actually, healthy young men would start to lose bone mass, lose calcium.”
  • (08:50): “We could study technology and people in a weightless environment... to eventually send people not just to the moon... but to Mars.”
• Fate Sealed by Science and Politics: NASA’s inability to save Skylab triggers creative (sometimes absurd) solutions, but time and technical constraints forces them to let it fall.

3. Public Reaction — From Panic to Party (10:06–14:33)

• Odds & Fears:
  • 1 in 7 chance debris hits a city.
  • 1 in 152 chance of striking a random person.
  • NASA prepares for mass casualties, just in case.
• Skylab Mania: Citizens decorate rooftops with bullseyes, host parties with “protective” helmets, and retailers offer rewards for Skylab survivors.
• Media Turns It Into a Game:
  • San Francisco’s newspapers, the Examiner and Chronicle, enter a wild competition for readers, launching insurance policies and rewards for finding debris.

4. The Newspaper Publicity War (14:33–19:28)

• Jeff Jarvis Recalls the Rivalry:
  • Examiner offers $10,000 for the first piece of Skylab delivered to the newsroom, while the Chronicle promises $100,000 insurance to subscribers maimed by debris.
  • Jeff Jarvis (17:31): “Maybe we could give a reward if somebody actually delivered a piece of Skylab to the office.”
• Public Fakes & Hijinks: Fake claims pour in — Nerf balls, tire irons, prank calls — fueling columns and public excitement.
  • Jeff Jarvis (19:28): “It was nothing but fun, but we had fun with it.”

5. NASA’s Final Hours (21:37–25:44)

• On Edge in Houston: NASA flight controller Dr. Dunbar explains the frantic, paper-and-pencil calculations and limited contact as Skylab’s orbit decays.
  • Dr. Dunbar (23:19): “If you could change the drag of Skylab by changing its orientation, then you could kind of manage its altitude, if you will.”
• Emotion in Mission Control: The station’s fiery breakup is both thrilling and a little sad for the NASA team.
  • Dr. Dunbar (25:44): “It was a little bit emotional on that last pass.”
  • Dr. Dunbar (26:12): “There was this sense, boy, I hope this is not the end.”

6. Fire Over Esperance — Debris Hits Ground (26:28–29:02)

• Jo Norman and Stan Thornton: Join locals at midnight, witnessing balls of fire as fragments of Skylab rain down.
  • Jo Norman (27:27): “It was so beautiful... millions and millions of little pieces breaking up.”
• Prize in the Backyard: Stan finds debris in his yard the next morning — and learns about the $10,000 reward.

7. From Beer Truck Driver to Media Sensation (29:02–32:45)

• Stan's Sudden Journey: Helped by local radio, Stan gets his passport and flies to San Francisco with debris in tow.
• Examiner's Media Circus: Upon arrival, Stan is treated like a celebrity, but the actual fragments are underwhelming.
  • Jeff Jarvis (31:40): “They looked like charcoal briquettes after doing the steak.”
• Verification Headaches: NASA struggles to identify the material, suspecting “astronaut poop” before confirming it’s Skylab insulation.

8. American Tour & Its Oddities (37:02–42:57)

• Stan Waits, World Watches: The Examiner milks his celebrity for daily columns, with Stan giving monosyllabic answers.
  • Jeff Jarvis (33:01): “He didn’t ever have much to say... the longest sentences he tended to use were ‘yep’ and ‘nope.’”
• Tests & Certification: NASA eventually confirms the debris as balsa wood insulation from Skylab. Stan wins $10,000.
• Endorsements and Odd Promises: A furniture salesman persuades Stan and Jo to do an American tour, promising money and furnishings that never materialize.
  • Jo Norman (42:08): “We picked it all out... but we never heard from him after we left. I think he was a bit of a con artist myself.”

9. Reflections, Legacy & Bittersweet Aftermath (42:57–46:32)

• Temporary Fame: Stan uses his winnings to buy land and a car; the promised prizes are a scam.
• The "Skylab Effect": The municipal fines NASA for littering; pieces of Skylab become museum relics and curios.
• Dana Schwartz (43:15): “Maybe Skylab was a kind of rehearsal for doomsday.”
• Jo Norman (46:14): “The actual witnessing of it was something out of this world... I don’t think anyone will ever experience again because they would never let it happen again.”

10. Memorable/Sentimental Wrap Up (47:42–51:03)

• Group Commentary: The hosts discuss the story’s charm — its randomness, fleeting celebrity, and very human quirks.
  • Jason English (47:42): “I love stories where some random thing happens and just changes the trajectory of someone’s life.”
  • Dana Schwartz (48:22): “The villain of this story really is the furniture salesman.”
• “Very Special” Moments:
  • Town fining NASA for littering.
  • Jeff Jarvis getting publicly insulted by Frank Sinatra (49:27): “Frank Sinatra stopped the show just to diss me.”
  • Dream Hollywood casting for the story (50:08–51:03).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jo Norman (03:31): "It was like, oh my God, way louder than thunder. And that's when everyone, we all thought, oh, holy crap, this is actually going to fall on us. You felt like you could just reach up and touch it."
• Jeff Jarvis (17:31): "Maybe we could give a reward if somebody actually delivered a piece of Skylab to the office."
• Dr. Bonnie Dunbar (23:19): "If you could change the drag of Skylab by changing its orientation, then you could kind of manage its altitude, if you will."
• Jo Norman (46:14): "The actual witnessing of it was something out of this world that I don't think anyone will ever experience again because they would never let it happen again."
• Jason English (47:42): "I love stories where some random thing happens and just changes the trajectory of someone's life."
• Jo Norman (45:41; final word on Stan’s post-fame life):
  • Dana: "Was he doing well?"
  • Jo: "Yep."
  • Dana: "Anything else to say?"
  • Jo: "Nope."
  • (Very on-brand, as Stan only ever spoke in "yep" and "nope".)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 02:17 — Dana Schwartz sets the stage in Esperance, Australia; Jo Norman’s first-hand account.
• 06:09–10:06 — Skylab’s origins, science, and “cosmic motel” analogy.
• 14:33–19:28 — Jeff Jarvis discusses the media rivalry and publicity stunts.
• 21:37–25:44 — Dr. Bonnie Dunbar on NASA’s tense final hours controlling Skylab.
• 26:28–28:29 — Local reactions in Esperance and Stan finding debris.
• 31:40 — Reaction to Stan’s debris delivery in San Francisco.
• 33:01 — Jeff Jarvis struggles to fill columns with Stan’s monosyllabic answers.
• 37:14 & 41:26 — NASA identifies the debris; Stan’s whirlwind American tour.
• 43:15 — Dana Schwartz on Skylab as a metaphorical “rehearsal for doomsday.”
• 46:14 — Jo Norman’s lasting wonder at witnessing the event.
• 47:42–49:17 — Hosts discuss favorite moments and themes.
• 50:08–51:03 — Fun segment casting the main players in a fictional adaptation.

Conclusion

"Skylab Is Falling" isn’t just about space debris — it’s about luck, fleeting fame, media spectacle, and the random way global events can touch ordinary lives. It delivers history with humor, heart, and a dash of nostalgia for a time when the world paused in wonder, and a falling piece of space junk could send someone halfway around the world and back.

Podcast Tone:
Wry, curious, and slightly nostalgic; blends factual storytelling with playful banter and affection for its cast of eccentric real-life characters.