What was the original mission of Skylab?

Skylab was an experimental space station designed to study the effects that living and working in space for extended periods would have on astronauts. Skylab also conducted nearly 300 experiments that provided scientists with valuable information.

Skylab was launched into orbit in 1973. Astronauts who crewed the station docked with Skylab once it had been placed in orbit. During its service life, the station was occupied by three different three-man crews for a period of 171 days. When the Skylab project was finished, the spacecraft was allowed to burn up in the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean and sparsely populated regions of Western Australia.