The first U.S. space station, launched in 1973, was Skylab.
NASA launched Skylab on May 14, 1973, using the final flight of a Saturn V rocket. The station was based on a converted Saturn rocket stage and included a pressurized workshop, living quarters, an airlock, and extensive astronomical equipment. It was designed to study the effects of long-duration spaceflight and conduct observations of the Sun and Earth.
Skylab suffered serious damage during launch when its micrometeoroid shield tore away and one of its main solar panels was lost. The first crew, launched on May 25, improvised repairs in orbit, including deploying a replacement sunshade. Their work saved the station and allowed NASA to continue the program.
Three crews occupied Skylab between 1973 and 1974. The station was inhabited for a total of 171 days before being abandoned. It reentered the atmosphere in July 1979. The Soviet Salyut 1 was the world’s first space station overall, while Skylab was specifically the first American one.