Before the Reentry

On February 8, 1974, the Skylab-4 crew elevated the station's orbit to 269 by 283 miles, anticipating that it could remain in orbit until 1983 when the Space Shuttle program would be ready for maintenance or safe deorbiting. Yet, delays in the shuttle program and increased atmospheric drag, compounded by solar activity, indicated that Skylab would reenter the atmosphere sooner than expected in 1979.

In January 1978, the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) issued a warning that Skylab's descent was accelerating. NORAD predicted its reentry could occur within a year due to an unusual number of sunspots, which increased ultraviolet radiation and heated the atmosphere.

In August 1978, NASA engineers managed to extend Skylab's time in space by adjusting its orientation, reducing atmospheric drag and slowing its orbit to prevent an uncontrolled descent over populated areas. There was still hope that the shuttle might be operational in time to intervene, but this proved to be unfounded, and Skylab's reentry came earlier than anticipated.

The Final Descent

NASA was understandably concerned about Skylab's impending reentry; it was poised to be the largest man-made object to disintegrate in the atmosphere. Measuring 118 feet in length and 22 feet in width, it had a volume comparable to that of a three-bedroom house. Initially weighing 85 tons at launch in 1973, it had shed mass over time, weighing 77.5 tons by 1979.

While NASA expected that most of Skylab would incinerate upon reentry, they anticipated that about 500 pieces weighing between 20 and 25 tons would reach the Earth. Among these, most fragments were expected to be under 10 pounds, but a few larger pieces would exceed 1,000 pounds. Notably, two of the largest surviving fragments were a 5,100-pound titanium shroud and a 3,900-pound lead safe. Smaller debris would fall at approximately 30 mph, while larger pieces could plummet at speeds around 250 mph.

Amidst the global excitement surrounding Skylab's reentry, many in the U.S. participated in "Skylab parties," while businesses marketed themed merchandise and even designated themselves as crash zones. Conversely, some European countries prepared emergency protocols, including sirens, to alert citizens of potential debris.

Skylab's final trajectory was uncertain almost until the end. At 1:30 AM local time in Australia, NASA had predicted a mid-Atlantic reentry with debris expected in the Indian Ocean. By 1:40 AM, however, concerns shifted to the possibility of Australia being affected.

A mere twenty minutes later, a fireball was sighted over Esperance, located on the southern coast of Western Australia. Although NASA had announced that Skylab had disintegrated in the Indian Ocean, they were unaware that the station had broken apart later than they realized. While a significant portion of the debris did indeed fall into the ocean, some pieces landed in Western Australia.

After the Fall

Residents of the area witnessed glowing skies and heard sonic booms in the early hours. As news broke that debris had fallen in Southwestern Australia between the sparsely populated towns of Esperance, Balladonia, and Rawlinna, souvenir hunters were quick to scour the area for remnants of the station. Even contestants from the Miss Universe pageant, held in Perth that year, traveled to the outback to search for memorabilia. One piece of Skylab even made an appearance during the competition on July 20, 1979.

In the lead-up to Skylab's reentry, the San Francisco Examiner offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who could deliver a piece of the station to their office within 72 hours of its crash. A 17-year-old local named Stan Thornton woke to the sounds of Skylab's reentry and managed to recover a fragment. He quickly flew to the paper's offices, meeting the deadline and claiming the prize.

The Littering Citation

Shortly after July 19, 1979, the U.S. space agency team in Western Australia searching for debris received a $400 citation for littering from the Esperance Shire Council. Although issued in jest, the council hoped NASA would settle the fine as a donation for their museum. Eventually, the fine remained unpaid until 2009 when radio host Scott Barley managed to gather donations from his listeners to cover it.

The residents of Esperance bore no ill will over the unpaid fine. In August 1979, a piece of Skylab was presented as a gift to the U.S. National Geographic Society by the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C. This charred plastic fragment was given by Perth ecologist Thomas Riggert, who emphasized that the people of Esperance wished to convey their goodwill towards the United States.

This video titled "Should NASA have to pay for falling space debris?" discusses the implications of space debris and the responsibilities of agencies like NASA.

The second video, "Skylab fiery crash site / Esperance, Western Australia," provides a look at the crash site and the aftermath of Skylab's reentry.