Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency President Dr. Keiji Tachikawa talks to the media following the launch of Discovery on the STS-124 mission.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency President Dr. Keiji Tachikawa talks to the media during a news conference in NASA's News Center television studio following the successful launch of space shuttle Discovery on the STS-124 mission. Others who participated were NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier, Director of Mission Launch Integration LeRoy Cain and Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks. Photo credit: NASAKim Shiflett