Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata will make his second space shuttle flight Thursday to help build the International Space Station.

Along with six colleagues on the shuttle Discovery, Wakata, a 37-year-old mission specialist, will deliver and attach key components to the evolving space station during an 11-day mission.

"The foundation for the International Space Station has been laid out, and this mission begins the true station buildup in orbit," said Ron Dittemore, space shuttle program manager.

The ISS, which is being built by the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada, received its Russian-built Zvezda (Star) service module in July.