STS-124 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
STS-124

Kibō's pressurised module, two days after its installation, with Discovery in the background
Mission type	ISS assembly
Operator	NASA
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)
Payload mass	17530 kg
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
Launch site	Kennedy LC-39A
End of mission
Landing date	14 June 2008, 15:15:19 (2008-06-14UTC15:15:20Z) UTC
Landing site	Kennedy SLF Runway 15
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee	307 kilometres (166 nmi)
Apogee	328 kilometres (177 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 to the International Space Station (ISS). The Space Shuttle Discovery launched on May 31, 2008, and landed on June 14, 2008. The main goal of this mission was to deliver the largest part of the space station's Japanese module, called Kibō. This mission is also known as ISS-1J.

Meet the STS-124 Crew

The STS-124 mission had a crew of seven astronauts. They were led by Commander Mark Kelly. The crew included a pilot, four mission specialists, and one astronaut who would stay on the ISS.

• Commander: Mark E. Kelly (his third flight)
• Pilot: Kenneth T. Ham (his first flight)
• Mission Specialist 1: Karen L. Nyberg (her first flight)
• Mission Specialist 2: Ronald J. Garan Jr. (his first flight)
• Mission Specialist 3: Michael E. Fossum (his second flight)
• Mission Specialist 4: Akihiko Hoshide from JAXA (his first flight)
• Mission Specialist 5: Gregory E. Chamitoff (flew up to stay on ISS for Expedition 17)
• Returning from ISS: Garret E. Reisman (flew home from Expedition 17)

Commander Kelly Shares About His Team

A crane moves Discovery to its fuel tank and boosters before launch.

Commander Mark Kelly was very happy with his crew. He said they were all very talented. Ken Ham, the pilot, knew the shuttle very well, even though it was his first flight. Mike Fossum, who had done three spacewalks before, was the lead for spacewalks on this mission.

Karen Nyberg was in charge of the robotic arm operations. She would control three different robotic arms in space! Ron Garan, the flight engineer, was also on his first flight and would do three spacewalks. Aki Hoshide, the Japanese astronaut, was responsible for the new Japanese laboratory. He made sure it was ready and that the crew was trained to use it.

• Did you know? Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff brought the first bagels into space! He carried 18 Montreal-style bagels with sesame seeds for his trip.

What Did STS-124 Carry to Space?

The Kibō module on the ISS after STS-124 was completed.

The Kibō Pressurized Module during assembly on Earth.

The main thing STS-124 carried was the Pressurized Module (PM) of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), called Kibō. This was a huge part of the International Space Station (ISS). Kibō was connected to the Harmony module on the ISS. The mission also delivered the Japanese Remote Manipulator System, which is a robotic arm for Kibō.

The Kibō laboratory was so big that it was brought to space in three different missions. All its parts were made in Japan and then sent to Florida for launch. It's built from strong materials like stainless steel and titanium.

Discovery also carried some spare parts for a broken toilet on the ISS. The astronauts on the station had to use other ways to manage waste until the new parts were installed.

For fun, the crew brought an action figure of Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story movies. Pilot Ken Ham also brought recordings of a sports radio show, a microphone stand, and jerseys from famous athletes like Lance Armstrong, Eli Manning, and Craig Biggio.

Shuttle Preparations for Launch

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off on mission STS-124.

Before launch, Discovery was moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). There, it was lifted upright and attached to its large external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters. This whole stack was then moved on a giant vehicle called a Crawler-transporter to Launch Pad 39A.

The Kibō module was carefully loaded into Discovery's cargo bay. The astronauts then practiced for the launch. After many checks, Discovery was ready to blast off on May 31, 2008.

Mission Journey: Day by Day

Day 1: Launch Day

A close-up view of the STS-124 launch.

STS-124 launch seen from nearby islands.

Space Shuttle Discovery launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Commander Mark Kelly said, "Now stand by for the greatest show on Earth!"

Launch Pad Damage

After launch, one of the trenches at the launch pad, which directs flames away from the shuttle, was damaged. This was due to the heat and chemicals from the rocket boosters. The damage was fixed before the next missions.

Day 2: First Full Day in Space

The astronauts checked the shuttle's heat shield for any damage using a camera on the robotic arm. They also got the shuttle ready to connect with the space station.

Day 3: Docking with the ISS

Discovery successfully connected with the International Space Station. The doors between the shuttle and the station opened. Astronaut Greg Chamitoff officially joined the station's crew, and Garrett Reisman prepared to return to Earth with Discovery.

Day 4: First Spacewalk and Kibō Installation

Ron Garan during the second spacewalk of the mission.

Astronauts Mike Fossum and Ron Garan went on a spacewalk that lasted almost seven hours. They prepared the Kibō laboratory for installation. Karen Nyberg and Akihiko Hoshide used the station's robotic arm to move Kibō from the shuttle and attach it to the Harmony module.

Day 5: Opening Kibō and Toilet Repair

The Kibō module seen from inside Space Shuttle Discovery.

The crew opened the hatch to the new Kibō lab, making it ready for use. They also fixed the broken toilet on the ISS.

Day 6: Second Spacewalk

The STS-124 crew inside the Kibō module.

Fossum and Garan completed their second spacewalk. It lasted over seven hours. They installed covers and equipment on Kibō.

Day 7: Moving Kibō Parts

The crew moved the Kibō Logistics Module from Harmony to the main Pressurized Module.

Day 8: Testing Kibō's Robotic Arm

Ron Garan working outside the Columbus lab.

Hoshide and Nyberg moved two joints of the Japanese Kibō lab's robotic arm for the first time. They tested it with commands.

Day 9: Third Spacewalk

Astronaut Karen Nyberg on flight day 11.

Fossum and Garan did their third and final spacewalk. They replaced an empty nitrogen tank and collected a sample of debris from a solar array.

Day 10: Full Robotic Arm Test

Kibō's robot arm was fully extended to 33 feet, and all its joints were tested. The astronauts also opened the storage unit of Kibō.

Day 11: Saying Goodbye to the ISS

The shuttle closed its hatch to the space station. Commander Kelly said, "It's amazing what's going on up here... Overall, the mission's been a great success."

Day 12: Undocking and Inspection

Discovery undocked from the International Space Station. It then flew around the ISS so the crew could take pictures. They also inspected the shuttle's heat shield again.

Day 13: Rest Day

This was a rare day off for the crew. They mostly stored equipment and made a small adjustment to their orbit. Pilot Kenneth Ham also did an interview for a sports radio show.

Day 14: Landing Preparations

The crew prepared the shuttle for landing. They closed the payload bay doors. A small shiny object was seen trailing the shuttle, but it was identified as a harmless clip.

Day 15: Landing Day

Space Shuttle Discovery lands.

The crew continued their landing preparations. Discovery landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center on Runway 15.

Spacewalks: Working Outside the Station

Three spacewalks (also called Extra-vehicular activities or EVAs) were done during STS-124. Astronauts spent a total of 20 hours and 32 minutes working outside the shuttle and station.

Wake-up Calls: Music in Space

NASA has a tradition of playing music to wake up astronauts. Each song is chosen by their families or has a special meaning to the crew member.

Images for kids

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  Composite image of the US Segment of the ISS taken during EVA

See also

In Spanish: STS-124 para niños