From its launch on May 14, 1973, until the return of its third and final crew on Feb. 8, 1974, the Skylab program proved that humans can live and work in outer space for extended periods of time.- The History of Skylab
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/f_skylab1.html
Almost 10 years before the space shuttle first launched
And 25 years before the first pieces of the ISS were connected
NASA launched Skylab
Skylab: by Jon Cowart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-489OX_JXA
Kennedy Media Gallery
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=36062&viewtranscript=1
Jon N. Cowart: NASA Biography
"In December 2008, he was chosen deputy mission manager for Ares I-X"
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/flighttests/aresIx/j_cowart.html
