Skylab 1: America’s First Space Station Crew.

This 4" patch marks the first crewed mission to Skylab, officially designated Skylab 2, where Pete Conrad, Joe Kerwin, and Paul Weitz became the first Americans to live aboard a U.S. space station. For 28 days, they repaired Skylab’s damaged solar hardware, activated its life‑support systems, operated its scientific instruments, and gathered groundbreaking medical data — including the first flight of a physician in space.

Launched on May 25, 1973 atop a Saturn IB, the mission proved humans could perform complex orbital repairs and thrive on long‑duration missions. Their successful return to Earth set the stage for the record‑breaking Skylab expeditions that followed and paved the way for future permanent stations like Mir and the ISS.

A historic emblem celebrating the moment America truly began living in space.

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