NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Orbiter: Endeavour
Mission: STS-123/1J/A
Primary Payload: Kibo Logistics Module, Dextre Robotics System
Launch Date: March 11, 2008
Launch Time: 2:28 a.m. EDT
Launch Pad: 39A
Mission Duration: 16 days
Landing Date: March 26
Landing Time: 8:39 p.m. EDT
Landing Site:Runway 15, Kennedy Space Center
Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles

Space shuttle Endeavour vaulted off the launch pad lighting up the night sky with a crew of seven to deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and a Canadian robotics system to the International Space Station. Image above: Clouds of smoke and steam envelop space shuttle Endeavour as it roars into the night sky from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA/ Jim Grossman
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Image above: Through the darkness of evening space shuttle Endeavour approaches Runway 15 to wrap up the STS-123 mission. Photo credit: NASA/Tom Joseph
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NASA astronaut Dominic Gorie commanded the STS-123 mission, which included Pilot Gregory H. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, Mike Foreman, Garrett Reisman and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's astronaut, Takao Doi.

After the flawless launch, Endeavour's record-breaking 12-day stay at the station and five ambitious and successful spacewalks, the astronauts accomplished all of their assignments, including some get-ahead tasks for the upcoming STS-124 mission.

The shuttle crew, working with the Expedition 16 members, attached the first section of the Kibo component to the station -- Kibo means 'hope' in Japanese. Three spacewalks later the two-armed robotics system known as Dextre was up and running.

Completing 6.6 million miles and nearly 16 days in space, the shuttle crew was ready for the journey home. Low clouds over and around the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center thwarted the first landing attempt.

The second opportunity brought shuttle Endeavour and its crew safely back to Earth at 8:39 p.m. EDT, March 26. The European Space Agency's astronaut, Leopold Eyharts, returned with the STS-123 crew after living on the outpost since early February. Reisman, a first-time space flyer, replaced Eyharts as Expedition 16-17 Flight Engineer.

Twin sonic booms were heard over Florida's Space Coast a few minutes before the orbiter glided down out of the night sky onto the runway for a perfect touchdown.

Endeavour's night landing was the 22nd in space shuttle history and the 16th night landing at Kennedy.