Salyut 1
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Salyut 1, also known as DOS-1, was the world's first space station. It was launched into low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on April 19, 1971. The Salyut program subsequently achieved five more succe
Salyut 1 as seen from the departing Soyuz 11
Still frame from an animation of Salyut 1 with attached Soyuz.
The Soyuz 11 crew with the Salyut station in the background, in a Soviet commemorative stamp
Skylab
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Skylab was the United States' first space station launched by NASA, occupied for about 24 weeks between May 1973 and February 1974. It was operated by three trios of astronaut crews: Skylab 2, Skylab
Salyut 1
…landing program in 1974 after four catastrophic N-1 launch failures. One other motivation for the space station program was a desire to one-up the US Skylab program then in development. The basic structure of Salyut 1 was adapted from the Almaz with a few modifications and would form the basis of all Soviet…
Skylab as photographed by its departing final crew (Skylab 4).
Skylab configuration as planned
Von Braun's sketch of a Space Station based on conversion of a Saturn V stage, 1964
The floor grating of Skylab under construction