NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mission STS-124

Orbiter: Discovery
Mission: STS-124/1J
Primary Payload: Kibo Pressurized Module, Japanese Remote Manipulator System
Launch Date: May 31, 2008
Launch Time: 5:02 p.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39A
Mission Duration: 14 days
Landing Date: June 14, 2008
Landing Time: 11:15 a.m. EDT
Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Discovery and Crew Complete a Picture-Perfect Mission

Image above: Space shuttle Discovery hurtles toward space atop twin columns of fire on its STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews
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Image above: In the 69th landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery approaches landing on Runway 15. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
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Space shuttle Discovery blazed a trail through the late afternoon sky May 31, 2008 as it lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The on-time launch was a spectacular start to Discovery's STS-124 mission to the International Space Station.

In its payload bay Discovery carried a large science laboratory called the Japanese Pressurized Module and an accompanying robotic arm.

Built by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the payloads are part of the larger Japanese Experiment Module known as "Kibo," meaning hope.

Led by Commander Mark Kelly, the seven-member astronaut crew included JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and ISS Flight Engineer and Science Officer Greg Chamitoff, who replaced astronaut Garrett Reisman aboard the station. Reisman returned to Earth with the STS-124 crew after 95 days aboard the outpost.

After two weeks and 217 orbits, Discovery returned home to Kennedy Space Center on June 14 with a flawless touchdown on Runway 15.