NASA announces Endeavour's STS-123 rollout to KSC launch pad

William Atkins
Saturday, 16 February 2008 19:32

Science - Space

The Kibo laboratory will be the largest module to be attached to the ISS.

Kibo consists of four main components: (1) the Pressurized Module (PM) that contains ten International Standard payload Racks (ISPRs) within its cylindrical shaped 36.8-foot (11.2-meter) length and 14.4-foot (4.4-meter) diameter; and (2) the Exposed Facility (EF), also called Terrace, which is positioned outside of the port cone of the PM, with an airlocked hatch, so that experiments can be exposed to the vacuum of space.

It also consists of: (3) the moveable storage and transportation module called the Experiment Logistics Module (ELM), which has a pressurized volume for the PM and an unpressurized volume for the EF, that will initially be placed on the port side of the PM; and (4) the Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), which is a robotic arm located at the port cone of the PM, that is used to move equipment of the ELM.

Dextre is a two-armed robotic device, called a telemanipulator and nicknamed the “Canada hand,” that will be used in some cases to replace astronauts performing spacewalks.

It is part of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS), which consisting primarily of the Canadarm2 robotic arm (or Space Station Remote Manipulator [SSRMS]), the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System (MBS), and the SPDM (Dextre).

The MSS moves along rails on the Mobile Transporter cart, which is attached on the Integrated Truss Structure of the space station.

Endeavour and the STS-123 mission will be commanded by Dominic Gorie, with Gregory H. Johnson as the pilot and Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi as the mission specialists.

Five spacewalks will be conducted during the flight primarily to install the Kibo and Dextre to the International Space Station.

For additional information about the STS-123 mission, its crew, and the five spacewalks, please visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts123/index.html.

Reisman will remain on the station as a resident ISS Expedition crew member, replacing ISS flight engineer and ESA astronaut Leopold Eyharts, who will return home on Endeavour.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, please go to: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.