Oregon Space Grant STEM Resources

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch
Saturday, May 31, 2008
2:02 pm PDT

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland Oregon will offer space exploration enthusiasts a front row seat to watch NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery STS-124 launch into space Saturday, May 31 at 1:00 p.m. for the 2:02 p.m. PDT launch and flight to the International Space Station. OMSI will be showing the lift-off in the auditorium live via satellite on NASA TV. Admission for the televised launch is free.

Navy Cmdr. Mark E. Kelly will command the STS-124 shuttle mission to deliver the Pressurized Module and robotic arm of the Japanese Experiment Module, known as “Kibo” (hope), to the International Space Station. Navy Cmdr. Kenneth T. Ham will serve as the pilot. Mission specialists will include NASA astronauts Karen L. Nyberg; Air Force Col. Ronald J. Garan Jr.; and Air Force Reserve Col. Michael E. Fossum. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide also will serve as a mission specialist.

The STS-124 mission is the second of three flights that will launch components to complete the Kibo laboratory. The mission will include two spacewalks to install the new lab and its remote manipulator system. The lab’s logistics module, which will have been installed in a temporary location during STS-123, will be attached to the new lab.

For more information about the STS-124 mission, including images and interviews with the crew, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

There will be several sighting opportunities over Portland of both the shuttle and ISS during the 14 days scheduled mission. The sighting times can be located at this link:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/region.cgi?country=United_States®ion=Oregon
Please note that the shuttle liftoff date and time is subject to change by NASA.

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