Cumbrian Sky

Almost time for another shuttle mission, STS-123. Here's the official NASA press release...

NASA GIVES 'GO' FOR SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH ON MARCH 11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA senior managers completed a review Friday
of space shuttle Endeavour's readiness for flight and selected March
11 as the official launch date for the STS-123 mission. Commander
Dominic Gorie and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off to the
International Space Station at 2:28 a.m. EDT.

During the 16-day mission, the crew will deliver and install the first
section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory
and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre.
Five spacewalks will be conducted during the flight.

Endeavour's launch date was announced after the conclusion of Friday's
Flight Readiness Review. During the two-day 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.

Gorie will be joined on STS-123 by Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and
Mission Specialists Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Rick Linnehan,
Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao Doi. Reisman will remain
on the station as a resident crew member, replacing station flight
engineer Leopold Eyharts of the European Space Agency, who will
return home on Endeavour.

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Sounds like a fascinating and very busy mission. VERY cool mission patch design, too...!

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