Skylab missions

• 1973Skylab 1 (Workshop Launch)The launch of Skylab, America’s first space station, on the final Saturn V — nearly lost when its micrometeoroid shield tore away during ascent, then rescued by the first crew’s improvised repairs.
• 1973Skylab 2The first Skylab crew arrived to find the station overheating and underpowered — and saved it with a deployable sunshade and a hands-on EVA to free the jammed solar array.
• 1973Skylab 3The second Skylab crew doubled the duration record to 59 days, running solar observations and studies of how the body adapts to long spaceflight.
• 1973Skylab 4The final and longest Skylab mission — 84 days, including observations of Comet Kohoutek and a famous mid-mission “strike” over the crew’s punishing schedule.