Mission

On the SLF at KSC. Kibo's EF and ELM-ES arrived on a cargo airplane and were transported to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) by a trailer.

The Exposed Facility (EF) and Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section (ELM-ES), Kibo's remaining components to be delivered to the ISS, were shipped from the Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) to NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida in September 2008.

On September 19, 2008, the EF and ELM-ES left TKSC before dawn, heading to the New Tsuchiura Port (Ibaraki Pref.). After arriving at the New Tsuchiura Port, the EF and ELM-ES were loaded onto a river cargo vessel and transported to Narita International Airport via a river and land route.

On September 23, the EF and ELM-ES arrived at Narita International Air Port. At the airport, both components were transferred to a Russian Antonov AH-124-100 cargo airplane and flown to KSC.

On September 24 (US Time), the cargo airplane carrying the EF and ELM-ES landed on the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at KSC. At the SLF, the EF and ELM-ES were removed from the cargo airplane and loaded onto a flatbed trailer for transport to the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF). At the SSPF, both components are processed and prepared for launch.

The EF and ELM-ES will be delivered to the ISS on the STS-127 Mission (2J/A) scheduled to launch in May 2009. During the mission, JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, who will be staying aboard the ISS as an ISS flight engineer for Expedition 19, will attach the EF and ELM-ES to Kibo, collaborating with the STS-127 Mission crew members and the other ISS crew members.

Arriving at KSC SLF (September 24, 2008 US Time)

EF and ELM-ES at Narita Airport (September 23, 2008)

EF at New Tsuchiura Port (September 19, 2008)

EF leaving TKSC (September 19, 2008)

*All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)