Mon, Mar 31, 2008
Weather Delays Tank's Arrival At KSC
Citing the need for extra time to get the shuttle Discovery's
modified external fuel tank to Florida -- and the agency's desire
to give its employees the Memorial Day weekend off -- on Monday
NASA announced it is targeting May 31 as the launch date for the
STS-124 mission to deliver the large Japanese Kibo Pressurized
Module to the International Space Station.
Liftoff time is scheduled for approximately 1701 EDT.
NASA decided to reschedule Discovery's target launch date from
May 25 to May 31 after shipment of the mission's external fuel tank
from its assembly plant at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans to Florida was delayed by weather. The tank arrived at
NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 26.
Discovery's mission is the second of three flights that will
launch components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency's Kibo laboratory. The Japanese Pressurized Module will be
the station's largest science laboratory, measuring 37 feet long
and 14 feet in diameter, about the size of a large tour bus. The
shuttle also will deliver the lab's robotic arm system that support
operations outside of Kibo. The lab's logistics module, which was
installed in a temporary location during STS-123 in March, will be
attached to the new lab.
Mark Kelly will command the seven-member crew, which includes
Pilot Ken Ham, Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Jr.,
Mike Fossum, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko
Hoshide and Greg Chamitoff. Chamitoff will replace Expedition 16/17
Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman and remain aboard the station as a
member of the Expedition 17 crew. Reisman will return to Earth with
the STS-124 crew.
The official launch date for Discovery will be determined during
the standard Flight Readiness Review held approximately two weeks
before launch.
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