About Kibo

Processing Work at KSC

All International Space Station (ISS) flight hardware are tested and checked at the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) in NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) before their launch. Kibo components are also tested and checked out by the JAXA engineering team and the JAXA-NASA joint team at the SSPF in preparation for launch.

During the final processing phase, components are prepared for installing in the Space Shuttle’s payload bay with support from the NASA engineering team. Before being transferred to the launch pad, the components are installed in a payload canister. At the launch pad, the components are transferred into the shuttle’s payload bay from the payload canister.