Between 1967 and 1973, NASA successfully launched 13 Saturn Vrockets – two were unmanned test flights, nine carriedastronauts to the moon or Earth orbit, and one, the last Saturn V, hada mission unlike any other. This was the launch of the first Americanspace station, an enormous orbital habitat called Skylab.

Apollo was not meant to be a singular achievement. After aseries of moon landings, NASA expected to transition to the ApolloApplications Program (AAP) which would have used the hardware developedfor the moon missions to support expanded space exploration activities.AAP would have deployed Lunar Module cargo carriers and astronaut“taxis,” lunar surface habitats, and orbital spacestations. But NASA’s funding was diminishing and by the timeof Armstrong’s “Giant Leap” the publicand Congress had lost the drive to keep space exploration a priority.Apollos 18, 19 and 20 were canceled even though much of the hardwarehad already been paid for and built.

In an attempt to salvage some part of AAP and utilize thehardware on hand, a single Earth orbital space station –Skylab – was proposed. The space station was constructed froma modified S-IVB stage and on May 14, 1973, was lifted to orbit by theSaturn V’s powerful first and second stages. Compared to theApollo Command Module, the interior volume of the Skylab orbitalworkshop was vast, with room for a crew of three to live and work inrelative comfort. Eventually, three separate crews called Skylab homefor successively longer missions, culminating in an 84 day stay betweenNovember 1973 and February 1974. Although there were plans to keepSkylab aloft indefinitely for future crews, unexpected orbital decaybrought the massive space station down in 1979, scattering its partsacross Western Australia.

The Estes Saturn V Skylab is an accurate 1:100 scalereproduction of this historic rocket and its space station payload.Vacuum formed tube wraps and fin fairings add a textured realism tothis model’s surface. Injection molded fins are both durableand detailed – a fin alignment guide is included for preciseplacement. The detailed water-slide decals accurately represent themarkings of this historic mission. Before flight, remove the realisticengine nozzle assembly and prep for launch. The Estes Saturn V Skylabcan reach up to 400 feet on an Estes F15-4 engine. At ejection, therocket separates into two sections for recovery – the SaturnV first and second stages return together under dual 24-inchparachutes, while the Skylab upper section sports its own 18-inchcanopy. With impressive E-engine launches and multi-segment,multi-parachute recoveries, the Estes Saturn V Skylab will stand out inany model rocket fleet!

WHAT YOU NEED TO BUILD: Pencil, #220 #320 #400 and #600sandpaper, ca, ca accelerator, epoxy, yellow glue, tube-typeplastic cement, liquid plastic cement, putty for plastic models,sanding sealer, tweezers, hobby knife, sharp blades, masking tape,permanent spray adhesive (not artists’ or repositionable),paint (flat black, flat white, silver). (Tools, construction andfinishing supplies not included.)

WHAT YOU NEED TO LAUNCH (sold separately): Porta-PadE Launch Pad and ELaunch Controller, Estesmodel rocket engines, startersand recoverywadding. Four 1.5V high quality AA alkaline batteries arealso required for launch controller (not included)