Skylab

The Skylab space station cluster, a science and engineering laboratory, was launched on May 14, 1973. Damaged during the launch, engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Madison County, helped devise plans to repair and realign the space craft and extends its use. Marshall engineers were later involved in developing Spacelab, which flew aboard Space Shuttle orbiters, some of which were crewed by Alabamians Henry W. Hartsfield, Kay Hire, Mae Jemison, Kathryn Thornton, and James Voss, and Auburn University graduate Jan Davis.

Courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration