NASA Sets Briefings to Preview Next Space Shuttle Mission

NASA will hold a series of news media briefings May 1 to discuss the upcoming
space shuttle Discovery mission, STS-124. NASA Television and the agency's Web
site will provide live coverage of the briefings from the Johnson Space
Center, beginning at 8 a.m. CDT. Questions also will be taken from
participating NASA locations.

Discovery's 13-day mission is targeted for launch to the International Space
Station on May 31. It is the second of three flights to launch components of
the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle also
will deliver the lab's robotic arm system that will support operations outside
of Kibo.

Following the briefings, members of the STS-124 crew will be available for a
series of round-robin interviews. Media planning to attend the interviews or
participate by phone must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 by noon
April 29. All reporters who are foreign nationals must contact Johnson to
arrange credentials no later than April 9.

Mark Kelly will command the seven-member crew of STS-124, which includes Pilot
Ken Ham, Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg, Ron Garan, Jr., Mike Fossum, Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Greg Chamitoff.
Chamitoff will replace Expedition 16/17 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman and
remain aboard the station as a member of the Expedition 17 crew. Reisman will
return to Earth with the STS-124 crew.

The schedule of briefings includes (all times CDT):

8 a.m. Space Shuttle and International Space Station Program overview
9:30 a.m. STS-124 mission overview
11 a.m. NASA TV video file
11:30 a.m. STS-124 spacewalk overview
1 p.m. STS-124 crew news conference

For NASA TV streaming video, schedules, and downlink information, visit:

www.nasa.gov/ntv

For the latest information about the STS-124 mission and its crew, visit:

www.nasa.gov/shuttle

CONTACT: Katherine Trinidad, NASA Headquarters, Washington, +1-202-358-3749,
Katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov or James Hartsfield, Johnson Space Center, Houston
+1-281-483-5111, james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov

/PRNewswire-USNewswire - April 2, 2008/

SOURCE NASA