Mission

STS-123 Mission (1J/A)

During the STS-123 Mission (1J/A), two major components were delivered to the ISS.
The first was Kibo’s stowage module, the JAXA's Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section (ELM-PS), also known as the JLP. The second was the new space station robotic arm known as “Dextre” (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator: SPDM) developed by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Both components are invaluable resources for future ISS operations.

The ELM-PS is the first Kibo element delivered to the ISS. For Japan, the delivery of the ELM-PS was a significant event that marked a major advancement in Japan’s space development activities. As its name suggests, the ELM-PS is a pressurized stowage compartment that can store spare items, experiment samples or maintenance tools. This stowage space will certainly be extremely valuable for actual operations (including experiment activities) on-orbit.

During the STS-123 mission, JAXA astronaut Takao Doi flew to the ISS aboard the space shuttle Endeavour as a Mission Specialist (MS). Astronaut Doi performed the assembly, initial activation and checkout of the ELM-PS.

Astronaut Doi manipulated the space shuttle’s robotic arm (Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS)) and installed the ELM-PS onto the ISS. During this mission, the ELM-PS was attached to the zenith (top) of Harmony (Node 2) where it remained throughout the 1J/A mission. The ELM-PS was relocated to the zenith (top) of the Pressurized Module (PM) arrived at the ISS on the STS-124 mission (STS-124).

The ELM-PS traveled to the ISS carrying Kibo’s system racks and experiment racks that are eventually operated in the PM. Astronaut Doi reconfigured these racks in preparation for their eventual relocation to the PM.

STS-123 Mission (1J/A） Flight Schedule as of March 27, 2008

Launch date	2:28 a.m. March 11, 2008 （EDT） 3:28 p.m. March 11, 2008 （JST）
Launch site	NASA Kennedy Space Center （KSC）
Docking date	10:49 p.m. March 12, 2008 （CDT） 0:49 p.m. March 13, 2008 （JST）
Undocking date	6:56 p.m. March 24, 2008 （CDT） 8:56 a.m. March 25, 2008 （JST）
Duration	15 days 18 hours and 11 minutes （the longest mission in the ISS assembly flight history）
Crew	Seven （Including JAXA astronaut Takao Doi and a rotation crew member for ISS Expedition 16）
Orbiter	Endeavour（21th flight）
Altitude	Orbital Insertion: approx. 226km（140miles） Docking: approx. 343km（213miles）
Inclination	51.6 Degrees
Landing date	8:39 p.m. March 26, 2008 （EDT） 9:39 a.m. March 27, 2008 （JST）
Landing Site	NASA Kennedy Space Center （KSC）
Main Payload	Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section (ELM-PS) "Dextre" (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator: SPDM)

Figure 2 depicts the ISS configuration after the temporary installation of the ELM-PS to Harmony.

ISS configuration

Crew

Dominic L. Gorie Commander NASA Astronaut Biographies	Gregory H. Johnson Pilot NASA Astronaut Biographies	Richard M. Linnehan Mission Specialist NASA Astronaut Biographies
Robert L. Behnken Mission Specialist NASA Astronaut Biographies	Michael J. Foreman Mission Specialist NASA Astronaut Biographies	Takao Doi Mission Specialist NASA Astronaut Biographies
Garrett E. Reisman (ascend) ISS Expedition 16 Flight Engineer NASA Astronaut Biographies	Leopold Eyharts (descend) ISS Expedition 16 Flight Engineer NASA Astronaut Biographies

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Image credit: NASA
NASA Astronaut Biographies on the official NASA website
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio_activemgmt.html