STS-124 Payload Installed in Discovery's Bay

Discovery space shuttle arrived on May 3 at the launch pad 39A at NASA's Kenned Space Center after being carried with the crawler-transporter from the Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building. The shuttle was secured to the launch pad and is now expecting the two rehearsals scheduled to take place between May 6 and May 9. The crew is expected to arrive at the Shuttle Landing Facility today and will make a televised press statement broadcasted by NASA TV.

The STS-124 payload had arrived at the launch pad on April 29 and consists of the second module of JAXA's Kibo space laboratory, more specifically the Japanese Experiment Module-Pressurized Module plus the laboratory robotic arm system, and has been installed recently in the payload bay of the space orbiter.

STS-124 will be the 123rd space shuttle flight, the 35th flight for Discovery and the 26th flight to the International Space Station. Discovery is scheduled for launch on May 31 and will spend 13 days docked to the ISS. During this time three spacewalks will be conducted in order to deliver Kibo's second module.

At the same time one of the crew members traveling with the Discovery space shuttle to the ISS will have the role of replacing flight engineer Garrett Reisman, as part of the Expedition 16 and 17. The astronaut replacing Reisman will be flight engineer Greg Chamitoff. Arriving at the Kennedy Space Center today will be Discovery space shuttle commander Mark Kelly who will participate in both the May 6 and the May 9 rehearsals.

On May 8 the crew will again be available for the media and will answer questions while at the Launch Pad 39A. The rehearsal on May 9 will involve a full dress rehearsal of the launch countdown, giving every crew member the chance to participate in various simulated countdown activities and to get familiarized with the equipment and the emergency training. The final leg of the test will not be broadcasted, but it will become part of the NASA TV Video File.