Apollo Applications Program

The Apollo Applications Program explored how Apollo spacecraft, Saturn launch vehicles, and existing human-spaceflight capabilities could support research beyond the lunar landing objective. Its proposals included an orbital workshop and solar astronomy, with early plans to outfit a spent rocket stage after launch. Budget and design decisions narrowed the effort toward a prefabricated dry workshop launched by Saturn V. That workshop effort received the name Skylab in February 1970, carrying Apollo-derived hardware into long-duration Earth-orbit research.