Discovery Set for Saturday Launch to Space Station
Space shuttle Discovery is in place at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A and remaining work is on schedule for liftoff May 31 at 5:02 p.m. EDT.
The countdown begins May 28 at 3 p.m., counting from the T-43 hour mark. Also on May 28, the seven-member STS-124 crew will arrive at Kennedy to begin final preparations for Saturday's launch.
Discovery's 14-day flight will carry the largest payload so far to the station and includes three spacewalks. It is the second of three missions that will launch components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's 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.
Source: NASA