January 2008
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The future of a detachable experimental pallet on Japan's Kibo module for the International Space Station (ISS) is expected to be jeopardized by the scheduled 2010 retirement of space shuttle. Kibo is also known as Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) that is the largest experiment facility on the station with three permanent parts, including the main Pressurized Module, a big laboratory, and an Exposed Facility for placing instruments outside. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has also prepared a fourth unit that is a 1.2-metric-ton pallet that is intended to be transported by the shuttle, carrying experiments designed to be exposed to the space environment. The first part of Kibo is to go into space is to be the pressurized logistics module, the storeroom that is scheduled for the STS-123 shuttle launch in March or April 2008.