Discovery Mission STS-124

The sun rises over the space shuttle Discovery Friday May 30, 2008, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Discovery and her crew of seven astronauts are preparing for Saturday afternoon's planned liftoff and 13-day mission to the International Space Station.

A street sign on a perimeter road around launch pad 39a is seen in front of space shuttle Discovery, ready for the STS-124 mission to the International Space Station at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, May 29, 2008. Discovery is scheduled to launch Saturday.

The Kibo Japanese Experiment Module's (JEM) pressurized module is lowered into a shipping crate in preparation for its launch aboard shuttle Discovery. The $1 billion Kibo lab, which means "hope" in Japanese, will be the biggest, most elaborate room at the International Space Station, a 37-foot-long scientific workshop with its own hatch for outside experiments and a pair of robot arms.

Kirk Shireman, deputy director of the space station, left, watches spare parts being unloaded for the station's broken commode during a news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, May 29, 2008. Also pictured from left are Yoshiyuki Hasegawa, program director of the Japanese Experiment Module, Mike Leinbach, launch director of the Kennedy Space Center, and weather officer Kathy Winters.

Space shuttle Discovery crew, from left, mission specialists Greg Chamitoff, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, pilot Ken Ham, mission specialists Karen Nyberg, Mike Fossum, commander Mark Kelly, and mission specialist Ron Garan, arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Discovery is scheduled to launch May 31 bound for the International Space Station.

This Jan. 2003 image provided by NASA shows a view of the toilet compartment in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. The space station's Russian-built toilet has been acting up for the past week. The three male residents have temporarily bypassed the problem. NASA rushed Wednesday May 28, 2008 to get a special pump on board shuttle Discovery to fix the balky toilet.

STS-124 crew members leave the Operations and Checkout Building for launch pad 39A and a planned liftoff on the space shuttle Discovery Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The space shuttle Discovery thunders off the launch pad while lifting off Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Space shuttle Discovery lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Saturday, May 31, 2008.

Beachgoers watch the launch of the space shuttle Discovery from Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, May 31, 2008.

Space shuttle Discovery's Remote Manipulator System (RMS), docking mechanism, vertical stabilizer and orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods are featured in this image photographed by a Discovery crewmember Sunday, June 1, 2008. The blackness of space and Earth's horizon provide the backdrop for the scene.

A view of the International Space Station is seen from the shuttle Discovery as it approaches for docking, Monday, June 2, 2008.

The shuttle Discovery is seen docked to the International Space Station, Monday, June 2, 2008. Discovery's seven crew members are on a 13-day mission to the space station.

The Japanese Kibo module is seen suspended on the shuttle Discovery's robotic arm Wednesday, June 4, 2008. The 37-foot lab is scheduled to be installed on the International Space Station during a space walk on Thursday.

Astronaut Mike Fossum, STS-124 mission specialist, as he participates in the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station, Tuesday, June 3, 2008. Visible in the reflections of his helmet visor are various components of the station, Earth's horizon and astronaut Ron Garan, mission specialist.

The Space Shuttle Discovery soon after the shuttle and the International Space Station began their post-undocking relative separation on Wednesday, June 11, 2008. One of the Expedition 17 crewmembers recorded the photo with a digital still camera. Landing is targeted for Kennedy Space Center at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday.

The vertical stabilizer on the shuttle Discovery is seen Friday, June 13, 2008. The shuttle crew noticed an object floating away from the orbiter and then discovered a small protrusion on the rudder section of the stabilizer. Engineers said the protrusion might be a small piece of thermal insulation sticking out. The issue could potentially delay the shuttle's return to Earth.

Touchdown

Discovery lands makes a perfect landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, June 14, 2008, completing a two-week, 5.7 million-mile mission.

Terra Firma

Discovery commander Mark Kelly, front right, checks the shuttle along with members of the crew after landing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, June 14, 2008.