Space shuttle Discovery lifts off, bringing "hope" to ISS

CAPE CANAVERAL, THE UNITED STATES, May 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space shuttle Discovery soared into space at 5:02 p.m. EDT (2102 GMT) on Saturday as scheduled from its seaside launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The main goal of Discovery's STS-124 mission is to deliver the main part -- Pressurized Module -- of Japan's Kibo (which means "hope" in Japanese) laboratory to the station.

"Best of luck to the International Space Station's newest laboratory!" NASA launch controllers broadcasted.

The shuttle, with seven astronauts aboard, will link up with the station two days later.

This is the second of three flights that launches components to complete Kibo.

After linkup, the shuttle and station crew will install Kibo science module to the left side of the Harmony connecting node, opposite to the European Columbus science lab that was installed in February.

They will also assemble Kibo's remote manipulator system, which consists of two robotic arms that supports operations outside of Kibo.

The lab's logistics module, which was installed in a temporary location during a shuttle mission in March, will be attached to Kibo's new science module.

Space Shuttle Discovery will also deliver a new crew member to the orbital outpost. Mission Specialist Gregory Chamitoff will replace Garrett Reisman, who arrived on the station in March and is completing three months as a station flight engineer. Reisman will return to Earth aboard Discovery, and Chamitoff will stay up there for six months as a part of the Expedition 17 space station crew.