Skylab Space Station Orbiting Earth
Additional Details:
| Skylab, the first American "space station", was launched into Earth orbit on May 14, 1973 and manned on three different occasions by three-man astronaut teams for a total of 171 days. This view of Skylab was taken from the Apollo Command Module during the final "fly-around" inspection before the last crew's return to Earth. The makeshift parasol constructed by the astronauts to protect Skylab from the intense heat of the Sun is visible over the rear section. The actual solar panels prematurely deployed and broke off during the launch from Cape Kennedy, Fla. |
