53 years ago today, the last Saturn V ever to fly launched Skylab, America’s first space station, into orbit, and nearly destroyed it a minute later (May 14, 1973)

Fifty-three years ago today, the last Saturn V ever to fly launched Skylab, America’s first space station, into orbit, but it almost didn’t make it. Only 63 seconds into ascent, aerodynamic forces ripped away the station’s micrometeoroid shield, which doubled as its thermal protection, and the resulting debris jammed one solar array and tore the other clean off. Skylab reached orbit crippled, severely overheating and nearly powerless, with temperatures inside climbing past 130°F. The entire program seemed dead on arrival, but almost two weeks later, the first crew launched to save it, deploying a parasol sunshade to cool the station and freeing the jammed array during a daring spacewalk. Skylab was saved, and over the next year three crews spent 28, 59, and 84 days aboard, conducting nearly 300 experiments proving humans could live and work in space for months.

Skylab Mission Overview: [NASA Skylab](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/skylab/)
Some of my favorite photos from the mission: [Photo 1](https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/10840603396/in/album-72157634791373199) | [Photo 2](https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/10840900533/in/album-72157634791373199)
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They had a second Skylab ready to go in case the first one had serious issues (which the Skylab did have serious issues)

I’m kind of surprised they didn’t rush to prepare another Saturn V in case they couldn’t salvage Skylab.