Skylab Falls to Earth

Published: July 11, 2013, 8 a.m.

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In 1979, the world held its breath as the American space station, Skylab, re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. NASA tried desperately to control Skylab's descent, but large fragments hit south-west Australia instead of the Indian Ocean. Witness speaks to two residents of Esperance, a remote coastal town which bore the brunt of the impact.

(Image: Saturn V giant booster used for all the Apollo and Skylab NASA space missions between 1967 and 1972. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

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