page_title: U.S. space exploration history on U.S. stamps
section_title: Skylab Issue of 1974
hierarchical_section_title: U.S. space exploration history on U.S. stamps / Skylab Issue of 1974
caption_attribution_description: English: U.S. postage stamp: 1974 issue, 10 cents, SkyLab commemorative issue
context_page_description: With the advent of robotic and human spaceflight a new era of American history had presented itself. Keeping with the tradition of honoring the country's history on U.S. postage stamps, the U.S. Post Office began honoring the various events with its commemorative postage stamp issues. The first U.S. Postage issue to depict a U.S. space vehicle was issued in 1948, the Fort Bliss issue. The first issue to commemorate a space project by name was the ECHO I communications satellite commemorative issue of 1960. Next was the Project Mercury issue of 1962. As U.S. space exploration progressed a variety of other commemorative issues followed, many of which bear accurate depictions of satellites, space capsules, Apollo Lunar Modules, space suits, and other items of interest.
  Space exploration history is a popular topic, as record numbers of First-Day covers for postage stamps with space themes will attest. The Project Mercury issue of 1962 had more than three million 'First Day of Issue' cancellations, while the average number of First-Day cancels for other commemorative issues at that time was around half a million.
context_section_description: Skylab, a science and engineering laboratory, was the United States' first space station, and the second space station visited by a human crew. It was put into orbit by a Saturn V rocket on 14 May 1973.  It was also the only space station NASA launched alone. The 100-ton space station was in Earth's orbit from 1973 to 1979 and it was visited by crews three times in 1973 and 1974.
  Circling 50 degrees north and south of the equator at an altitude of 435 kilometres (270 mi), Skylab had an orbital period of 93 minutes. There were a plethora of UV astronomy experiments done during the Skylab lifetime, as well as detailed X-ray studies of the Sun. The station was active until July 11, 1979, when it fell out of orbit.
  The 10-cent Skylab commemorative stamp first day of release took place at Houston, Texas, on May 14, 1974. This issue commemorates the first anniversary of the launching of Skylab, and depicts the station as it was repaired, complete with "umbrella" and missing the lost solar panel.  The stamp was designed by Robert T. McCall and was issued in sheets of fifty, with an initial printing of 140 million.
caption: Skylab Issue of 1974
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