Astronaut Ron Garan, who was born in Yonkers, N.Y., will make his first spaceflight aboard space shuttle Discovery during its upcoming STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. Discovery is targeted to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on May 31, at 5:02 p.m. EDT.
NASA is honoring all 50 states during the remaining flights of the space shuttle, which will be retired in 2010. During the STS-124 mission, New York, Minnesota and South Dakota will be honored.
Discovery’s flight will carry the heaviest payload to the space station. Garan and his six shuttle crewmates will deliver the large pressurized module and the robotic arm system of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory. Garan will conduct three spacewalks and operate the shuttle robotic arm during the flight.
For Garan’s biography, visit: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/garan-rj.html
