STS-124

STS-124

Discovery launches with Kibo
Mission type	ISS assembly
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	2008-027A
SATCAT №	32960
Mission duration	13 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes 7 seconds
Distance travelled	9,230,622.6 kilometers (5,735,643.0 mi)
Orbits completed	217
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Discovery
Launch mass	122,072 kilograms (269,123 lb)
Landing mass	92,220 kilograms (203,320 lb)
Crew
Crew size	7
Members	Mark E. Kelly Kenneth T. Ham Karen L. Nyberg Ronald J. Garan, Jr. Michael E. Fossum Akihiko Hoshide
Launching	Gregory E. Chamitoff
Landing	Garret E. Reisman
Start of mission
Launch date	31 May 2008, 21:02:12 (2008-05-31UTC21:02:12Z) UTC[1]
Launch site	Kennedy LC-39A
End of mission
Landing date	14 June 2008, 15:15:19 (2008-06-14UTC15:15:20Z) UTC[2]
Landing site	Kennedy SLF Runway 15
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	328 kilometres (177 nmi)
Apogee	307 kilometres (166 nmi)
Inclination	51.6 degrees
Period	91 minutes
Docking with ISS
Docking port	PMA-2 (Harmony forward)
Docking date	2 June 2008, 18:03 UTC
Undocking date	11 June 2008, 11:42 UTC
Time docked	8 days, 17 hours, 39 minutes
From left to right: Chamitoff, Fossum, Ham, Kelly, Nyberg, Garan and Hoshide Space Shuttle program ← STS-123 STS-126 →

STS-124 was a Space Shuttle mission, flown by Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of 25 May 2008,^[3] and landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, at 11:15 EDT on 14 June 2008. The mission is also referred to as ISS-1J by the ISS program.

Crew

Crew notes

• Stephen G. Bowen was originally assigned to STS-124 but was moved to STS-126 to allow this mission to rotate an ISS crew member.^[5] Bowen was scheduled to perform the EVAs on the flight along with Fossum. Garan took his place for the EVAs.

Commander Kelly discusses the crew

A crane moves Discovery toward the external tank and SRBs in high bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building for STS-124.

"I’m really fortunate to be given the crew members that I have on this mission. It’s myself and six others. We do swap one of our crew members with the expedition crew member on board. So Greg goes up, Greg stays on station and Garrett comes home. But the crew that was assigned to me—I’m really fortunate to have some really talented people. Ken Ham, as a pilot, knows the orbiter better than anybody I’ve seen. This is his first flight. My lead EVA crew member is Mike Fossum who did three spacewalks on my previous flight, STS-121. We’ve flown together before. I have all the confidence in the world in his ability to execute these EVAs. Karen Nyberg, my MS1, sits on the flight deck for ascent and entry. She’s also the lead for all the robotic arm operations. She’ll be flying three robotic arms in space, incredibly motivated, well ahead of the game and I expect great things from her. Ron Garan is my flight engineer, a colonel in the Air Force. This is going to be his first time in space as well as is Karen’s and Ken’s and he’s doing three spacewalks. So he's got a lot on his plate. He’s been doing great during training and he’s going to have the opportunity to prove himself during these three spacewalks. I kind of wish it was me getting to go outside. I can’t do that, but we expect great things from Ron as well. And then I have Aki Hoshide, our Japanese crew member, who grew up in New Jersey kind of like me. That’s an interesting thing about our flight—we have four people from New Jersey on the mission. I look at Aki as the payload commander. He is responsible for that Japanese laboratory and he has taken on that responsibility as completely as I could have hoped for. All through our training he’s been very much focused on the Japanese lab, making sure it’s ready to go, making sure we’re completely trained on the systems and everything we have to do. I’ve given him a lot of responsibility and he’s completely taken it on."^[6]

• Gregory Chamitoff brought the first bagels into space: 3 bags (18 sesame seed bagels) with him.^[7][8]

Mission payloads

JEM PM Kibō on ISS after STS-124

JEM Kibō Pressurized Module in assembly

STS-124 delivered the Pressurized Module (PM) of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), called Kibō, to the International Space Station (ISS). Kibō was berthed to the Harmony module and the pressurized section of the JEM Experiment Logistics Module, brought up by the STS-123 crew, was moved from Harmony to the JEM-PM. The Japanese Remote Manipulator System, a robotic arm, was also delivered by STS-124 and attached to Kibō. The entire Kibō laboratory is being brought up over three missions.

Discovery carried with it replacement parts in a mid-deck locker for a malfunctioning toilet on the International Space Station. The crew had been using other facilities for waste until the new replacement parts were installed on the Zvezda module of the ISS.

Flying with the STS-124 crew was an action figure of Buzz Lightyear, a fictional character in the Toy Story franchise. Ken Ham, pilot of the STS-124 mission, brought with him episodes of ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning, and a plastic microphone stand with the ESPN logo on it. Along with those, a yellow jersey from Lance Armstrong's record-setting seven victories at the Tour de France bicycle race, the backup jersey Eli Manning took to the Super Bowl, and the last jersey that American Major League Baseball's Craig Biggio wore in a game were placed inside the orbiter's lockers.^[9]

With the completion of STS-124, the next permanent pressurized module would not be delivered to the ISS by a Space Shuttle until STS-130 brought up Tranquility in February 2010.

Mission background

The mission marked:^[10]

• 154th NASA manned spaceflight
• 123rd space shuttle flight since STS-1
• 98th post-Challenger mission
• 10th post-Columbia mission
• 11th flight remaining in the shuttle program
• 26th flight to the ISS
• 35th flight for shuttle Discovery
• 3rd shuttle mission in 2008

Shuttle Processing

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off on mission STS-124.

On 26 April 2008 Discovery was rolled over to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) from its processing bay in the Orbiter Processing Facility. Once in the VAB it was lifted vertically and mated with its external tank and solid rocket boosters on 28 April 2008. At the end of a week-long prep schedule on 2 May 2008 at 23:47 EDT the stack was rolled out to launch pad 39A on top the Mobile Launch Platform. Carried by the Crawler Transporter, Discovery arrived and was secured at LC-39A on 3 May 2008 at 06:06 EDT. The payload canister containing the JEM was rolled out to the Payload Changeout Room at the pad on 29 April 2008 and was later installed into Discovery's payload bay on 5 May 2008. The STS-124 crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on 6 May 2008 for the 3-day Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test and returned to Johnson Space Center on 9 May 2008 after completion of the launch dress rehearsal. After many flight readiness review tests, Discovery was given a go for a 31 May 2008 launch. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 21:02 UTC. The following is the expected timeline and is subject to change.

Mission timeline

31 May (Flight day 1, Launch)

STS-124 launch viewed from spoil islands.

The Space Shuttle Discovery launched from the Kennedy Space Center at 17:02 EDT local time. Debris from the fuel tank was minimal.^[11]

"While we've all prepared for this event today, the discoveries from Kibo will definitely offer hope for tomorrow," said Discovery's commander Mark Kelly just before launch. "Now stand by for the greatest show on Earth."^[12]

Launch pad damage

One of the trenches at launch pad 39A that channels flames away from the shuttle during lift-off was significantly damaged.^[13] The subsequent mishap investigation found that the damage was the result of carbonation of epoxy and corrosion of steel anchors which held the refractory bricks in place. These had been exacerbated by the fact that hydrochloric acid is an exhaust by-product of the solid rocket boosters.^[14] Repairs to the trench were completed before the STS-125 mission's then scheduled launch attempt on 8 October 2008.^[15] In fact STS-125 finally launched in May 2009, and in the meantime STS-126 (November 2008) and STS-119 (March 2009) had both been successfully launched from pad 39A.

1 June (Flight day 2)

During the first full day in space, Ham and Nyberg completed a limited inspection of the shuttle’s thermal protection system using the end effector camera of the shuttle’s robotic arm. The crew also installed the centerline camera and extended the orbiter’s docking system ring to prepare Discovery' for arrival at the space station.^[16]

2 June (Flight day 3)

Discovery docked with the space station at 18:03 UTC and the hatches opened at 19:36 UTC. Greg Chamitoff officially joined the Expedition 17 crew, replacing Garrett Reisman.^[17]

3 June (Flight day 4)

Ron Garan on the mission's second space walk, flight day 6.

Mike Fossum and Ron Garan completed a six-hour-forty-eight-minute spacewalk at 23:10 UTC. During the excursion, the pair retrieved the Orbiter Boom Sensor System, serviced and inspected components of a Solar Alpha Rotary Joint and prepared the JEM-PS component of the Kibō laboratory for installation. Karen Nyberg and Akihiko Hoshide, using the station’s robotic arm, removed the JEM-PS from the shuttle’s payload bay and latched it in place on the Harmony node, completing the task at 23:01 UTC.^[18]

4 June (Flight day 5)

The Kibo module as seen from inside Space Shuttle Discovery.

The hatch to the Kibō lab was opened at 21:05 UTC. The crew also repaired the malfunctioning ISS toilet.^[19]

5 June (Flight day 6)

The crew of STS-124 inside the pressurized Kibo module.

Fossum and Garan completed the second STS-124 spacewalk. The 7-hour, 11-minute excursion ended at 22:15 UTC.^[20] Prior to heading outside spacewalker Garan stated "Mike and I are getting ready to go out the door for our second spacewalk today. It's going to be a wonderful day."^[21]

6 June (Flight day 7)

The crew moved the Kibo Logistics Module from Harmony to the Pressurized Module.^[22]

7 June (Flight day 8)

Ron Garan works outside the Columbus lab.

Hoshide and Nyberg moved two of the six joints on the Japanese Kibō lab's robotic arm for the first time, maneuvering them very slightly with a series of commands.^[23] With the mission at its midpoint astronaut Karen Nyberg commented that "the week has gone way too fast."^[24]

8 June (Flight day 9)

Astronaut Karen Nyberg on flight day 11.

Fossum and Garan conducted the third and final spacewalk, replacing an empty nitrogen tank and collecting a sample of debris from the solar array.^[25]

9 June (Flight day 10)

Kibō's robot arm was extended to its full 33 feet, with all six joints tested. The astronauts also opened the hatch to the Kibō's storage unit.^[26]

10 June (Flight day 11)

The shuttle closed the hatch connecting it to the space station at 19:49 UTC.^[27]

"It's amazing what's going on up here," said Chamitoff. "This is just the beginning. Overall, the mission's been a great success," said Kelly from space. "I certainly have a great crew and they're well trained, but there's also a little luck involved."^[28]

11 June (Flight day 12)

Discovery undocked from the International Space Station's Harmony Module, at 11:42 UTC. Discovery then conducted a fly-by of the ISS, so pictures could be taken. Saying goodbye to the ISS and its crew, commander Kelly said "We wish them the best with their expedition and we hope we left them a better, more capable space station than when we arrived. Sayonara."^[29]

Afterwards the crew of Discovery conducted the late inspection of the shuttle's Thermal Protection System that was unable to be performed as usual on Flight Day 2, due to the size of the Kibo Pressurized Module.^[30]

12 June (Flight day 13)

Flight day 13 was a rare off-duty day. The only major projects were stowage of the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) and an orbit adjustment burn.

During the day, pilot Kenneth Ham conducted an interview with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic of ESPN, to be aired on their radio show, Mike and Mike in the Morning, the following morning on ESPN Radio and ESPN2.

13 June (Flight day 14)

The crew conducted routine testing of the steering jets and an examination of the flight control system. During these tests, a shiny object was noticed trailing the shuttle. This was identified as a thermal clip from the shuttle's rudder speed brake, and should pose no danger during landing.^[31]

14 June (Flight day 15, Landing)

Space Shuttle Discovery lands

The crew worked through their lengthy list of deorbit preparations, which continued for most of the day. They closed the payload bay doors at 11:30 UTC, which took place without incident. All of Discovery's systems were nominal, and with the weather looking very good at KSC the deorbit burn took place on schedule at 14:10 UTC for landing on runway 15 at 15:15 UTC.^[30]

At 12:00 UTC, the decision was made to use runway 15 rather than 33. This decision was made based on the sun glare that would be present on the Commander's window as he lined up Discovery with the runway.

Extra-vehicular activity

Three spacewalks were scheduled and completed during STS-124.^[32] The cumulative time in extra-vehicular activity during the mission was 20 hours and 32 minutes.

Wake-up calls

NASA began a tradition of playing music to astronauts during the Gemini program, which was first used to wake up a flight crew during Apollo 15. Each track is specially chosen, often by their families, and usually has a special meaning to an individual member of the crew, or is applicable to their daily activities.^[36]

Contingency mission

STS-326 was the designation given to the Contingency Shuttle Crew Support mission which would have been launched in the event that Discovery became disabled during STS-124.^[37] It would have been a modified version of the STS-126 mission of Endeavour, which would have involved the launch date being brought forward. The crew for this mission would have been a four-person subset of the full STS-126 crew,^[37] namely:

• Christopher Ferguson – Commander
• Eric A. Boe – Pilot
• Stephen G. Bowen – Mission Specialist, extravehicular 2
• Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper – Mission Specialist, extravehicular 1

Media

• 
  Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-124
• 
  Composite image of the US Segment of the ISS taken during EVA

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to STS-124.

Wikinews has related news: Space Shuttle Discovery launches on mission STS-124

• Official NASA Space Shuttle Page, includes images and data, constantly updated as STS-124 progresses
• NASA's official STS-124 Launch Blog
• NASA-TV: NASA's Television Station Which Will Broadcast the Mission of STS-124 from Mission Control in Houston and Space
• Up to the minute status updates for STS-124 mission updates page on spaceflightnow.com
• STS-124 Official Flight Kit manifest page on collectspace.com

Human spaceflights to the International Space Station
1998–2004	1998 STS-88 1999 STS-96 2000 STS-101 106 92 Soyuz TM-31 STS-97 2001 STS-98 102 100 Soyuz TM-32 STS-104 105 Soyuz TM-33 STS-108 2002 STS-110 Soyuz TM-34 STS-111 112 Soyuz TMA-1 STS-113 2003 Soyuz TMA-2 TMA-3 2004 Soyuz TMA-4 TMA-5
2005–2009	2005 Soyuz TMA-6 STS-114 Soyuz TMA-7 2006 Soyuz TMA-8 STS-121 115 Soyuz TMA-9 STS-116 2007 Soyuz TMA-10 STS-117 118 Soyuz TMA-11 STS-120 2008 STS-122 123 Soyuz TMA-12 STS-124 Soyuz TMA-13 STS-126 2009 STS-119 Soyuz TMA-14 TMA-15 STS-127 128 Soyuz TMA-16 STS-129 Soyuz TMA-17
2010–2014	2010 STS-130 Soyuz TMA-18 STS-131 132 Soyuz TMA-19 TMA-01M TMA-20 2011 STS-133 Soyuz TMA-21 STS-134 Soyuz TMA-02M STS-135 Soyuz TMA-22 TMA-03M 2012 Soyuz TMA-04M TMA-05M TMA-06M TMA-07M 2013 Soyuz TMA-08M TMA-09M TMA-10M TMA-11M 2014 Soyuz TMA-12M TMA-13M TMA-14M TMA-15M
2015–present	2015 Soyuz TMA-16M TMA-17M TMA-18M TMA-19M 2016 TMA-20M MS-01
Current	MS-02 MS-03
Planned	2017 Soyuz MS-04 MS-05 Dragon SpX-DM2 Soyuz MS-06 MS-07 2018 Starliner Boe-CFT Soyuz MS-08 MS-09 MS-10 MS-11
Future vehicles	NASA CCDev CST-100 Starliner Crew Dragon