STS-124 ready for mission of discovery and hope

William Atkins
Saturday, 31 May 2008 20:48

Science - Space

The Japanese Kibo laboratory is designed to last ten years, but could eventually be kept running for twice that amount of time, according to a representative for the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

However, such times will be dependent on how long the United States remains active with International Space Station operations. Presently, the United States is scheduled to withdrawal from the ISS sometime after 2015.

An active voice in keeping an American presence on the ISS, John Glenn (former Ohio senator and former NASA astronaut) recently said that removing active participation in the Space station so soon after completing it is "like buying a new car and saying, 'You paid $40,000 for a new car, and now I can't put the gas in the tank.’”. [USA Today: “NASA pullout could cut 'hope' short”]

Also onboard Discovery is an unexpected piece of hardware, which is now a critical piece for the three crew members living onboard the Space Station. A new Russian-made pump for the disabled toilet is being delivered to the Station so that repairs can be made to it.

Three spacewalks are scheduled to be performed during the STS-124 mission. Planned activities include the installation of the Kibo, the replacement of an empty nitrogen gas tank, and the inspection and cleaning of several components of a jammed solar wing.

During the spacewalks (on flight days four, six, and nine), mission specialists Mike Fossum and Ron Garan will perform various installations, assisted by astronauts inside the ISS. The Kibo Logistics Module, already at the Station (it was delivered by the last NASA mission, STS-123), will be moved to the Harmony Module.

Then, the PM, the main component of Kibo, will be mated to the Logistics Module. The Japanese remote manipulator system (RMS), a robotic arm, will also be attached to the main module of Kibo.

Coverage of the launch of STS-124 and the space shuttle Discovery will be found on NASA TV. Coverage begins at 12: 00 noon EDT on Saturday, May 31, 2008.