A premature ending, but an incredible start
Skylab was supposed to last between eight and 10 years and even host the in-development Space Shuttle, but intense solar activity roused our atmosphere, forcing a premature end to the program and a fiery demise. Skylab returned to Earth on July 11, 1979, falling as debris over western Australia and the southeastern Indian Ocean. The mission may have ended early, but it set the stage for bigger and better orbital things, including the ISS.
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