Project Skylab was America's first working space station. Skylab station orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other scientific systems. The station was launched into orbit on May 14, 1973 aboard mission SL-1. The first crew arrived nearly two weeks later during mission SLM-1. They remained aboard the station for 28 days, which set a new record for American space endurance. During their missions aboard Skylab, astronauts performed a number of unique experiments including solar research. The Skylab missions came to and end when the crew of SLM-3 returned to Earth on February 8, 1974. NASA had plans to use Skylab with the space shuttle, but the shuttle program was delayed. This lack of support eventually doomed the station. On July 11, 1979, Skylab station re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. NASA tried to land the station in the ocean south of Africa, but it burned slower than expected and Its remains crash landed in western Australia.

Skylab 1 Mission Patch
Skylab 2 Mission Patch
Skylab 3 Mission Patch

SL-1
Skylab Station

Launch: May 14, 1973

SLM-1
Skylab Mission 1

Launch: May 25, 1973

SLM-2
Skylab Mission 2

Launch: July 28, 1973
Skylab 4 Mission Patch

SML-3
Skylab Mission 3

Launch: November 16, 1973