Shuttle Discovery due for launch at the end of May

[Rico]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-069

NASA UPDATES TARGET LAUNCH DATE FOR NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT

WASHINGTON -- NASA is targeting May 31 as the launch date for shuttle
Discovery's STS-124 mission to deliver the large Japanese Kibo
Pressurized Module to the International Space Station. The liftoff
time is approximately 5:01 p.m. 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.

Additionally, NASA elected to move the liftoff date in order to avoid
having the launch team work through the Memorial Day weekend.

The official launch date for Discovery will be determined during the
standard Flight Readiness Review held approximately two weeks before
launch.

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.

For more information on the station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For more information on the station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station