Kibo Module is Now Attached!

Crews Continue Work on Kibo


Image above: A view of Mission Specialists Mike Fossum and Ron Garan as they conduct the second spacewalk of the STS-124 mission. Photo credit: NASA TV

The assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory continues today as the STS-124 and Expedition 17 crew members move the logistics module to its fixed position atop the newly installed experiment module.

Mission Specialists Akihiko Hoshide and Garrett Reisman will prepare Kibo’s Japanese Logistics Module (JLM) for removal from its interim location on the Harmony node by removing electrical jumper cables from the vestibule between the two modules and depressurizing the passageway.

Then, with Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff at the controls, the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 will unberth the JLM from the top berthing port on the Harmony node and maneuver it for installation to its permanent home atop Kibo’s Japanese Pressurized Module (JPM). Leak checks and pressurization of the JLM and vestibule will follow.

The crew also will activate the Japanese robotic arm located at the forward end cone of the JPM.

In addition, the crew members will participate in several media interviews.