Discovery + Kibo Will Kick Off On May 31

The GO has been given for May 31st as the official launch date for the STS-124 mission to the ISS. NASA completed a review yesterday of the space shuttle Discovery’s readiness for flight and the lift off will be at 5:02 p.m. EDT for Commander Mark Kelly and his six crew mates. Discovery‘s 14-day flight will carry the largest payload so far to the station and includes three spacewalks. This will be the second of three missions launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency‘s (JAXA) Kibo laboratory. The crew will install Kibo’s large Japanese Pressurized Module and Kibo’s robotic arm system. Discovery also will deliver new station crew member Greg Chamitoff and bring back Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who will end a three-month stay aboard the outpost. Commander Kelly will be joined on STS-124 by Pilot Ken Ham and Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum, Chamitoff and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide.