Skylab

Released by D. Gottlieb & Co. in 1974, 'Skylab' was a timely pinball machine that capitalized on the immense public interest in America's first space station program. The machine was released during the height of Skylab's operational period (1973-1974), demonstrating the pinball industry's ability to quickly adapt contemporary events into entertainment.

The machine featured classic electro-mechanical gameplay with artwork and theming that celebrated NASA's ambitious space station project. The playfield included rocket-themed targets, orbital path-styled lanes, and space-age artwork that captured the technological optimism of the era. As was typical for machines of this period, it utilized mechanical score reels and chimes rather than electronic sounds.

Skylab represented a significant period in pinball history when space exploration themes were particularly popular in arcade entertainment. The machine helped bring the excitement of the real Skylab mission to entertainment venues across America, joining other space-themed pins of the era. While not as well-known as some other space-themed machines of the 1970s, it remains a sought-after collector's item that captures a specific moment in both pinball and space exploration history.