3. The Day Skylab Fell
In 1979, America’s first space station, Skylab, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere uncontrollably. While most debris fell into the Indian Ocean, some pieces landed in sparsely populated areas of Western Australia. The Shire of Esperance humorously fined NASA $400 for littering, a fine that was never paid. In 2009, radio host Scott Barley raised funds to pay the fine on NASA’s behalf, commemorating the 30th anniversary of Skylab’s demise. (guinnessworldrecords.com)
