On A Clear May Morning Very Much Like This One, A Half Century Ago -- America Launched Its First "Semi-Permanent" Space Station

Of course, 50 years ago, no one knew if longer term stays in space would be feasible.

But Skylab paved the way for what ultimately morphed into the ISS project, now a multi-national home to several scientists at a time -- for many months on end. How the world has changed -- we hadn't fully withdrawn from Vietnam that morning, and we all watched the launch on a large bulbous TV, intercut with social studies sections on the moral failings, and logistical problems of prosecuting an undeclared war in Vietnam.

In any event, here is the video commemorating that historic first -- and a bit from the YouTube side copy:

. . .Skylab helped pave the way for permanent operations in low-Earth orbit. Over the course of its human occupation from May 25, 1973, to Feb. 8, 1974, three crews visited Skylab, carrying out 270 scientific and technical investigations in astronauts’ physiological responses to long-duration space flight, Earth sciences, solar physics, and astronomy.

The research conducted on Skylab helped prepare NASA for living and working in space on the International Space Station, and our journey to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. . . .

Now you know. . . onward, grinning. Be excellent to one another. . . out.

नमस्ते