NASA names STS-123 crew members

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- NASA has named the crew for space shuttle STS-123, which will deliver Japanese and Canadian experimental systems to the International Space Station.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said U.S. Navy Capt. Dominic Gorie will command space shuttle Endeavour when it launches in December. U.S. Air Force Col. Gregory Johnson will serve as shuttle pilot. Astronauts assigned to the mission are Richard Linnehan, Air Force Maj. Robert Behnken, Navy Capt. Michael Foreman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takao Doi.

Foreman had been assigned to the STS-120 shuttle mission, but was reassigned to STS-123. Astronaut Stephanie Wilson, who flew on last year's STS-121 mission, will replace Foreman on STS-120, scheduled for launch in September.

STS-123 will be the first in a series of flights that will deliver components to complete Japan's Kibo laboratory. The mission also will deliver the Canadian Space Agency's Dextre robotic system, a smaller manipulator designed to work with Canadarm2 to perform finer maintenance tasks that normally would be accomplished with spacewalks.

STS-123 will include four spacewalks to install the new hardware.