May 19, 2008

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 08-130

NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH ON MAY 31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA senior managers completed a review Monday
of space shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight and selected May 31
as the official launch date for the STS-124 mission. Commander Mark
Kelly and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off to the
International Space Station at 5:02 p.m. EDT.

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.

Discovery's launch date was announced after the conclusion of Monday's
Flight Readiness Review. During the meeting, top NASA and contractor
managers assessed the risks associated with the mission and
determined the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures
are ready for flight.

Commander Kelly will be joined on STS-124 by Pilot Ken Ham and Mission
Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Mike Fossum, Chamitoff and
Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. For more information about the
STS-124 mission, including images and interviews with the crew,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For all who like to follow the shuttle mission in NASA TV and want to have an idea of the shuttle or ISS position and what the astronauts may see.

Please feel invited to watch:

http://thomas-wehr.homeip.net/space/missioncontrolcenter.php

and for all who are still watching the debris pieces of NROL better known as USA193 I recommend (until the final officially tracked piece is down) http://thomas-wehr.homeip.net/space/earthview-special.php

special greetings to downunder

Thomas