Astronaut Launch Preparations

Images of astronauts in orange launch suits, preparing for space missions with a focus on their expressions and suit fittings.

JSC2007-E-33315 (4 May 2007) --- Astronaut Tracy E. Caldwell, mission specialist alternate portrait

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-115 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is all smiles about final preparations for launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis on Aug. 27. Piper is making her first flight on a shuttle. She and other crew members are checking the fit of their launch suits. Mission STS-115 is scheduled to lift off about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 27. The crew will deliver and install the P3/P4 segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the International Space Station. The truss includes a new set of photovoltaic solar arrays. When unfurled to their full length of 240 feet, the arrays will provide additional power for the station in preparation for the delivery of international science modules over the next two years. The mission is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Expedition 20 and 21 Flight Engineer Nicole Stott, who spent 87 days aboard the International Space Station, appears pleased with the success of her mission on the orbiting laboratory.Stott returned to Earth aboard space shuttle Atlantis with the STS-129 crew. Main gear touchdown was at 9:44:23 a.m. EST. Nose gear touchdown was at 9:44:36 a.m., and wheels stop was at 9:45:05 a.m. STS-129 is the final time the shuttle is expected to rotate station crew members.

JSC2007-E-33315 (4 May 2007) --- Astronaut Tracy E. Caldwell, mission specialist alternate portrait

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-115 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper waves in confidence about the launch on Aug. 27. Piper is making her first flight on a shuttle. Mission STS-115 is scheduled to lift off about 4:30 p.m. Aug. 27 on Space Shuttle Atlantis. The crew will deliver and install the P3/P4 segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the International Space Station. The truss includes a new set of photovoltaic solar arrays. When unfurled to their full length of 240 feet, the arrays will provide additional power for the station in preparation for the delivery of international science modules over the next two years. The mission is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak shows she is happy and excited to be preparing for launch with the fitting of her launch and entry suit. Nowak is making her first space flight. The launch is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-118 Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell is helped with her helmet during suitup for launch on Space Shuttle Endeavour. The STS-118 mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. The 11-day mission may be extended to as many as 14 depending on the test of the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System that will allow the docked shuttle to draw electrical power from the station and extend its visits to the orbiting lab. NASA/Kim Shiflett

S98-09499 (6-24-98) --- Astronaut EileenM. Collins gets a refresher course in water survival as part of her preparation for her role as commander in next year's scheduled STS-93 mission. Wearing a training version of the partial pressurelaunch and entry suit for Shuttle flights, Collins watches as a crew member simulates a parachute jump into the pool of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at the Johnson Space Center's Sonny Carter Training Center.

STS-90 Mission Specialist Kathryn (Kay) Hire participates in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at KSC's Launch Pad 39B. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide crews with the opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. Columbia is targeted for launch of STS-90 on April 16 at 2:19 p.m. EDT and will be the second mission of 1998. The mission is scheduled to last nearly 17 days

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-99 Mission Specialist Janice Voss (Ph.D.) smiles as she dons her launch and entry suit during final launch preparations. Liftoff of STS-99, known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), is scheduled for 12:47 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39A. The SRTM will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. Besides contributing to the production of better maps, these measurements could lead to improved water drainage modeling, more realistic flight simulators, better locations for cell phone towers, and enhanced navigation safety. The mission is expected to last about 11days. Endeavour is expected to land at KSC Friday, Feb. 11, at 4:55 p.m. EST

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-126 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is ready to take her turn driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier. Piper and the other crew members are at Kennedy for pre-launch preparation known as Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. The training provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and a simulated launch countdown. On the STS-126 mission, space shuttle Endeavour's crew will deliver equipment and supplies to the International Space Station in preparation for expansion from a three- to six-person resident crew aboard the complex. The mission also will include four spacewalks to service the stations Solar Alpha Rotary Joints. Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 14.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The day before the expected launch of STS-99, Mission Specialist Janet Lynn Kavandi poses for photographers near Launch Pad 39A where family and friends have gathered to greet the crew. STS-99, known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), is scheduled to lift off 12:47 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39A. The SRTM will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. Besides contributing to the production of better maps, these measurements could lead to improved water drainage modeling, more realistic flight simulators, better locations for cell phone towers, and enhanced navigation safety. The mission is expected to last about 11days, with Endeavour landing at KSC Friday, Feb. 11, at 4:55 p.m

During Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities, STS-99 Mission Specialist Janice Voss (Ph.D.) is ready to practice driving the M-113, an armored personnel carrier. Part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities, the M-113 could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. In the rear (right) is Commander Kevin Kregel. TCDT provides the crew with simulated countdown exercises, emergency egress training, and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-99 is the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, which will chart a new course, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. Besides contributing to the production of

Expedition 32 NASA astronaut Sunita Williams watches a video as the crew bus departs the Cosmonaut Hotel on Sunday, July 15, 2012 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Williams, Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko and JAXA Flight Engineer Akihiko Hoshide is scheduled for 8:40 a.m. local time on Sunday, July 15.

S115-E-05288 (9 Sept. 2006) --- Astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, STS-115 mission specialist, on mid deck of Atlantis before doffing her launch and entry suit.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-108 Mission Specialist Linda A. Godwin pauses after her arrival at KSC. She and the rest of the crew will be preparing for launch Nov. 29 on Space Shuttle Endeavour. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:41 p.m. EST. Top priorities for the STS-108 (UF-1) mission of Endeavour are rotation of the International Space Station Expedition Three and Expedition Four crews, bringing water, equipment and supplies to the station in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, and completion of spacewalk and robotics tasks. Mission Specialists Daniel M. Tani and Godwin will take part in the spacewalk to install thermal blankets over two pieces of equipment at the bases of the Space Station's solar wings. Other crew members are Commander Dominic L. Gorie and Pilot Mark E. Kelly

Expedition 23 NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson of the U.S. prepares to have her Russian Sokol suit pressure checked at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, Friday, April 2, 2010. Caldwell Dyson and fellow Expedition 23 crewmembers Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia launched in their Soyuz TMA-18 rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Friday, April 2, 2010.

Expedition 61 astronaut Jessica Meir of NASA prepares to have her Sokol suit pressure checked a few hours ahead of her launch on a Soyuz rocket with Expedition 61 cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Meir, Skripochka, and Almansoori will launch on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Commander Pamela Melroy responds to a question from the media during a press conference at the slidewire basket landing on Launch Pad 39A. The crew is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test activities that include emergency egress procedures and a simulated launch countdown. Mission STS-120, which will carry the Italian-built U.S. Node 2 to the International Space Station, is targeted for launch on Oct. 23. Tani will remain aboard the station and return with the STS-122 crew, targeted to launch Dec. 6.

. PHOTO DATE: March 29, 2023. LOCATION: Bldg. 8, Room 183 - Photo Studio. SUBJECT: Official portrait for Artemis II: Christina Koch. PHOTOGRAPHER: Josh Valcarcel

S85-41007 (9 May 1983) --- At NASA's Johnson Space Center, astronaut Sally K. Ride takes a break from training as a mission specialist for NASA's STS-7 spaceflight in Earth orbit.

jsc2018e043407 (May 10, 2018) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 56 backup crew member Anne McClain of NASA listens to a reporters question May 10 following her final Soyuz qualification May 10. McClain, Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos and David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency are the backups to the prime crew of Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, who will launch June 6 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft for a six-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Seated in space shuttle Discovery's cockpit on NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A, STS-128 Mission Specialist Nicole Stott is glad to have completed the simulated launch countdown. She and other mission crew members are at Kennedy to take part in the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, which includes emergency exit training and culminates in the simulated countdown. On the STS-128 mission, Discovery will deliver 33,000 pounds of equipment to the station, including science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch is targeted for late August.

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor speaks about her experience on Expeditions 56 and 57 onboard the International Space Station at NASA Headquarters, Friday, June 14, 2019 in Washington. Auñón-Chancellor spent 197 days living and working onboard the orbital laboratory, contributing to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science, and Earth science. She began her career at NASA as a flight surgeon before being selected as an astronaut in 2009.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Mission Specialist Nicole Stott prepares to practice driving an M-113 armored personnel carrier. Behind her is Commander Steve Lindsey. An M-113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed, and training on the vehicle is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). TCDT provides each shuttle crew and launch team an opportunity to participate in various simulated activities, including equipment familiarization and a launch countdown.Space shuttle Discovery and its STS-133 crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m.

S99-10568 (24 August 1999) --- Astronaut Janet L. Kavandi, mission specialist,participates in a training exercise in preparation for her upcoming flight aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. She is on the mid deck of one of the shuttle trainers in the Johnson Space Center'sSystems Integration Facility.

STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) smiles for the photographer before climbing into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as a mission commander. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and cr

S90-26968 (January 1990) --- Astronaut Linda M. Godwin.

S85-46206 (December 1985) --- Sharon Christa McAuliffe, STS-51L payload specialist representing the Teacher-in-Space Project, uses a treadmill exercising device during a training session at the Johnson Space Center in preparation for January s week-long mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger. This photo was taken by Bill Bower.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits and check the fit of their helmets and gloves before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. Mission Specialist Nicole Stott, seen here, spent 91 days aboard the International Space Station in 2009 as a crew member of Expeditions 20 and 21. Scheduled to lift off Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor speaks about her experience on Expeditions 56 and 57 onboard the International Space Station at NASA Headquarters, Friday, June 14, 2019 in Washington. Auñón-Chancellor spent 197 days living and working onboard the orbital laboratory, contributing to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science, and Earth science. She began her career at NASA as a flight surgeon before being selected as an astronaut in 2009.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-126 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper arrives at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a T-38 jet for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, activities. During TCDT, Endeavour's astronauts and launch teams will participate in a simulated countdown, practice emergency exit procedures at the launch pad and continue to familiarize themselves with the mission payload and hardware. On this 27th mission to the International Space Station, Endeavour will carry the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo that will hold supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, additional exercise equipment, spare hardware and equipment for the regenerative life support system. Endeavour is targeted to launch at 7:55 p.m. EST on Nov. 14.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-107 Mission Specialist Laurel Clark takes a break during training on the operation of an M113 armored personnel carrier during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, a standard part of launch preparations. STS-107 is a mission devoted to research and will include more than 80 experiments that will study Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety. Launch is planned for Jan. 16, 2003, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST aboard Space Shuttle Columbia.

S84-40237 (July 1984) --- Astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton, Astronaut Candidate Group 11.

Expedition 70 Preflight. Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara has her Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as she and fellow crewmates, Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub prepare for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The launch will send Expedition 70 NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub on a mission to the International Space Station.

JSC2005-E-33430 (10 August 2005) --- Astronaut Wendy B. Lawrence, STS-114 mission specialist, addresses a crowd on hand at Ellington Fields Hangar 276 near Johnson Space Center (JSC) during the STS-114 crew return ceremonies.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard a Grumman G2 aircraft, the STS-121 crew gathers at a microphone for the media. Seen here at center is Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak; at left is Pilot Mark Kelly. Other crew members are Mission Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Mark Kelly, and Mission Specialists Michael Fossum, Stephanie Wilson, Piers Sellers and Thomas Reiter, who represents the European Space Agency. The crew is at the space center to take part in a Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. Over several days, the crew will practice emergency egress from the pad and suit up in their orange flight suits for the simulated countdown to launch. Space Shuttle Discovery is designated to launch July 1 on mission STS-121. It will carry supplies to the International Space Station.

S92-45740 (August 1992) --- Astronaut Ellen S. Baker.

Expedition 61 astronaut Jessica Meir of NASA is seen during a press conference, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019 at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Meir, Expedition 61 cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates will launch September 25th on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the International Space Station.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 Crew Arrival at Kennedy Space Center. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli addresses members of the news media during NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 crew arrival event at the Launch and Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. In the background is JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa. Liftoff for the Crew-7 mission is targeted for 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, from Kennedys Launch Complex 39A.

JSC2012-E-208808 (15 Aug. 2012) --- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, Expedition 37/38 flight engineer, awaits the start of a spacewalk training session in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near NASA's Johnson Space Center. Hopkins is wearing a training version of his Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit.

. iss068e020608 (Nov. 3, 2022) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann is pictured inside the seven window cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world." Behind Mann and outside the cupola is one of the orbiting lab's main solar arrays. Credit: Koichi Wakata/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

NASA astronaut Suni Williams is seen during a NASA event where it was announced that she, and NASA astronaut Josh Cassada are assigned to the first mission to the International Space Station onboard Boeings CST-100 Starliner, Friday, Aug. 3, 2018 at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Astronauts assigned to crew the first flight tests and missions of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon where announced during the event.

NASA astronaut Christina Koch attends a Karaganda Airport welcome ceremony in Kazakhstan on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020 after she, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov landed their Soyuz MS-13 spacecraft in remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan. Koch returned to Earth after logging 328 days in space --- the longest spaceflight in history by a woman --- as a member of Expeditions 59-60-61 on the International Space Station. Skvortsov and Parmitano returned after 201 days in space where they served as Expedition 60-61 crew members onboard the station.

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is seen after arriving at the Launch and Landing Facility with fellow crewmates NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti at NASAs Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceXs Crew-4 mission, Monday, April 18, 2022, in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Lindgren, Hines, Watkins, and Cristoforetti are scheduled to launch at April 23 at 5:26 a.m. EDT, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

STS-91 Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence is learning how to operate an M-113 armored personnel carrier during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) training activities. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide crews with an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living m

STS073-E-5000 (23 Oct. 1995) --- Astronaut Catherine G. Coleman, STS-73 mission specialist, works in the Glovebox on the portside of the science module aboard the space shuttle Columbia in Earth orbit. This Electronic Still Camera (ESC) frame was the first downlinked from the spacecraft during the scheduled 16-day United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission.

STS-128 crew during CCT BAILOUT with Expedition astronaut Nicole Stott.

In the Operations and Checkout Building, a smiling STS-99 Mission Specialist Janet Kavandi waves after donning her launch and entry suit during final launch preparations. In background is a suit technician. STS-99, known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), is scheduled for liftoff at 12:30 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39A. The SRTM will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. The mission is expected to last 11days, with Endeavour landing at KSC Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 4:36 p.m. EST. This is the 97th Shuttle flight and 14th for Shuttle Endeavour

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities at KSC, Expedition 5 member Peggy Whitson poses for the camera before climbing inside the M-113 armored personnel carrier, used for emergency egress training at the pad. Behind her (right) is astronaut Tracy Caldwell, a mission specialist candidate currently assigned to the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch. Expedition 5 will travel to the International Space Station on mission STS-111 as the replacement crew for Expedition 4, who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour. The TCDT also includes a simulated launch countdown Known as Utilization Flight -2, the mission includes attaching a Canadian-built mobile base system to the International Space Station that will enable the Canadarm2 robotic arm to move along a railway on the Station's truss to build and maintain the outpost. The crew will also replace a faulty wrist/roll joint on the Canadarm2 as well as unload almost three tons of e

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-128 crew members put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the 3.4-mile drive to Launch Pad 39A. There, crew members will complete their suitup and enter space shuttle Discovery for the 1:36 a.m. EDT liftoff. Seen here is Mission Specialist Nicole Stott, who is making her first shuttle flight. The 13-day mission will deliver more than 7 tons of supplies, science racks and equipment, as well as additional environmental hardware to sustain six crew members on the International Space Station. The equipment includes a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. The mission is the 128th in the Space Shuttle Program, the 37th flight of Discovery and the 30th station assembly flight.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The STS-118 crew arrives at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a Shuttle Training Aircraft to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. Mission Specialist Barbara R. Morgan, NASA's first educator astronaut, acknowledges those who have turned out to welcome them. TCDT activities include M-113 armored personnel carrier training, payload familiarization, emergency egress training at the pad and a simulated launch countdown. The STS-118 payload aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour includes the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and is targeted for launch on Aug.7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Return to Flight STS-114 crew has returned to KSC to get ready for a second launch attempt aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Mission Commander Eileen Collins is talking to the media who wait nearby. She states that since the scrub on July 13, the crew has focused on the on-orbit part of the mission and training for night landings using the Shuttle Training Aircraft. She praised the engineers and technicians who have been troubleshooting the elusive sensor problem and thanked them. STS-114 is scheduled to launch July 26 at 10 39 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B.

JSC2008-E-139785 (12 Nov. 2008) --- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette, STS-127 mission specialist, gets help in the donning of her shuttle launch and entry suit in preparation for a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the STS-120 crew don their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Pad 39A for launch aboard space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Seen here is Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, who is making her second shuttle flight. Discovery is scheduled for liftoff at 11:38 a.m. EDT. The mission will be the 23rd assembly flight to the space station and the 34th flight for Discovery. Payload on the mission is the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. During the 14-day mission, the crew will install Harmony and move the P6 solar arrays to their permanent position and deploy them. Discovery is expected to complete its mission and return home at 4:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 6.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Following the mock countdown and emergency egress practice from the Fixed Service Structure on Launch Pad 39B, STS-114 crew members stop at the 225-foot level for a unique view. Seen here is Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence. This culminates the pre-launch training known as Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. TCDT provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 26 Flight Engineer Catherine Coleman of NASA suits up in her Russian Sokol launch and entry suit for a fit check in the Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft December 4, 2010. Coleman, European Space Agency Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli and Soyuz Commander Dmitry Kondratyev will launch December 16 (Baikonur time) to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At SPACEHAB in Cape Canaveral, Fla., STS-107 Mission Specialists Ilan Ramon of Israel and Laurel Clark check out the equipment for the mission. STS-107 is a research mission, and the primary payload is the first flight of the SHI Research Double Module (SHI_RDM). The experiments range from material sciences to life sciences (many rats). Among the experiments is a Hitchhiker carrier system, modular and expandable in accordance with payload requirements. STS-107 is scheduled to launch in June 2002

Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency (ESA) speaks with friends and family through glass at the conclusion of the press conference, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014, at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for Nov. 24 and will carry Cristoforetti, Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA , and Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) into orbit to begin their five and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

STS-101 Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber is confronted by a strong wind on her arrival at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. She and the rest of the crew are at KSC to get ready for their launch on April 24 about 4:15 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A. During their mission to the International Space Station, the STS-101 crew will be delivering logistics and supplies, plus preparing the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk to perform maintenance on the Space Station. This will be the third assembly flight for the Space Station

NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 Crew Arrival at Kennedy Space Center. NASAs SpaceX Crew-7 crew member and NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli smiles to the crowd after arriving at the Launch and Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida - along with the rest of her crewmates - on Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023. Crew-7 will launch to the International Space Station aboard SpaceXs Dragon spacecraft on the companys Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, 2023, from Kennedys Launch Complex 39A.

STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins climbs into an M-113 armored personnel carrier at the launch pad to take part in emergency egress training. Collins is the first woman to serve as mission commander. In preparation for their mission, the STS-93 crew are participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. Others in the crew are Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.), and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments in space to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Chandra is expected to provide unique and crucial information on the nature of objects ranging from co

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Mission Specialist Mary Ellen Weber is helped to suit up before heading for a second time to Launch Pad 39A and launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The previous day's launch attempt was scrubbed due to high cross winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The mission will take the crew to the International Space Station to deliver logistics and supplies and to prepare the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk. This will be the third assembly flight to the Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for 3:52 p.m. EDT. The mission is expected to last about 10 days, with Atlantis landing at KSC Saturday, May 6, about 11:53 a.m. EDT

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-118 crew arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to prepare for launch on Aug. 8 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. Seen here is Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell as she talks to the media. Endeavour's STS-118 mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5. Other payloads include the SPACEHAB module, making its last voyage, and the external stowage platform 3 with a control moment gyroscope on it. The flight will include at least three spacewalks. The crew will also debut a new system that enables docked shuttles to draw electrical power from the station to extend visits to the outpost. NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-124 Mission Specialist Karen Nyberg is helped getting into the parachute required for launch. She and the other crew members are taking part in a simulated launch countdown, part of the launch dress rehearsal known as the terminal countdown demonstration test. The simulation serves as a practice exercise in which both the launch team and flight crew rehearse launch day time lines and procedures. The test culminates in a simulated ignition and automated shutdown of the orbiter's main engines. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31.

Perseid Meteor flight on Google's Gulfstream Aircraft. P.I. Peter Jenniskens, SETI Group with J Houston-Jones, Meteor Society CA

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At SPACEHAB in Cape Canaveral, Fla., STS-107 Mission Specialists Ilan Ramon of Israel and Laurel Clark check out the equipment for the mission. STS-107 is a research mission, and the primary payload is the first flight of the SHI Research Double Module (SHI/RDM). The experiments range from material sciences to life sciences (many rats). Among the experiments is a Hitchhiker carrier system, modular and expandable in accordance with payload requirements. STS-107 is scheduled to launch in June 2002

STS-131 CREW CEIT - DISCOVERY

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-114 Mission Commander Eileen Collins is pleased to be back at KSC after arriving aboard a T-38 jet aircraft. She and other crew members are at the Center for familiarization activities with equipment. The mission is Logistics Flight 1, scheduled to deliver to the Space Station the external stowage platform and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module with supplies and equipment.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 mission specialist Stephanie Wilson takes part in a news conference after the crew's successful landing aboard space shuttle Discovery at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The crew completed a 15-day mission to the International Space Station with a smooth landing on Runway 33. Main gear touchdown was 1:01:16 p.m. Wheel stop was at 1:02:07 p.m. Mission elapsed time was 15 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes and 2 seconds. Mission STS-120 continued the construction of the station with the installation of the Harmony Node 2 module and the relocation of the P6 truss.

S99-05617 (19 May 1999) --- Astronaut Janet L. Kavandi, mission specialist,listens to a briefing about emergency egress procedures during a training session at the Johnson Space Center'sSystems Integration Facility. Kavandi wears a training version of the partial pressure launch and entry garment.

NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson discusses the upcoming Green Run hot fire test on NASA television, Saturday, January 16, 2021, at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. In the background, the core stage for the first flight of NASAs Space Launch System rocket is seen in the B-2 Test Stand ahead of a scheduled eight minute duration hot fire test. The hot fire test is the final stage of the Green Run test series, a comprehensive assessment of the Space Launch Systems core stage prior to launching the Artemis I mission to the Moon.

PHOTO DATE: 04-21-10LOCATION: Ellington FieldSUBJECT: STS-131 Crew Return Ceremony at Ellington Field

. SpaceX USCV-7 (Crew 7)Imagery provided by SpaceX

S94-38174 (30 June 1994) --- Astronaut Susan J. Helms.

S83-35763 / STS007-02-027 (18 June 1983) --- Seen on the flight deck of the space shuttle Challenger, astronaut Sally K. Ride, STS-7 mission specialist, became the first American woman in space on June 18, 1983.

S95-05778 (15 March 1995) --- Astronaut Pamela A. Melroy, pilot.

Expedition 56 flight engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor of NASA performs the traditional door signing at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing the hotel for launch on a Soyuz rocket with fellow crewmates Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos and Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency), Wednesday, June 6, 2018 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Auñón-Chancellor, Prokopyev, and Gerst will launch in their Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft to the International Space Station to being a six month mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Commander Pam Melroy disembarks from a Shuttle Training Aircraft, or STA, on the tarmac at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. She and STS-120 Pilot George Zamka were training for their upcoming space shuttle mission by practicing landings using the STA. Melroy is the second woman to command a shuttle mission. Also assigned to STS-120 are Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski, Stephanie Wilson, Doug Wheelock, Paolo Nespoli and Daniel Tani. Nespoli represents the European Space Agency. Tani will remain on the International Space Station as an Expedition 16 flight engineer after the STS-120 mission is complete. The mission will be the 23rd shuttle flight to the International Space Station, delivering the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. The crew arrived at Kennedy on Oct. 19 to prepare for launch aboard space shuttle Discovery at 11:38 a.m. EDT Oct. 23. The 14-day mission includes five spacewalks -- four by shuttle crew member

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of mission STS-120 arrive at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility aboard T-38 jet aircraft to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test activities. Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, seen here, will be making her second shuttle flight. The terminal countdown demonstration test provides astronauts and ground crews an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. The STS-120 mission will deliver the U.S. Node 2 module, named Harmony, aboard space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Launch of Discovery on mission STS-120 is targeted for Oct. 23 at 11:38 a.m. EDT on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station.

S98-19773 (29 Oct 1998) --- Astronaut Barbara R. Morgan, mission specialist.

S90-27594 (November 1989) --- Manley L. Sonny Carter Jr., STS-33 mission specialist, wearing a Launch and Entry Suit (LES), poses in front of the space shuttle Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex Pad 39B, at the 195 feet level elevator entrance at Pad 39B. Visible in the background is the catwalk to OV-103's side hatch and the Atlantic Ocean. Note Carter died April 5, 1991 at age 43, in a civil aviation accident.

STS-131 TCDT - CREW ARRIVAL

S97-06558 (22 Aug. 1997) --- Astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, mission specialist.

STS-84 Mission Specialist Elena V. Kondakova gives a "thumbs up" as she dons her launch and entry suit during final prelaunch preparations in the Operations and Checkout Building. Kondakova is a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency. This is her second trip into space, but her first on the Space Shuttle. She spent 169 days in space as flight engineer of the 17th main mission on the Russian Space Station Mir from Oct. 4, 1994, to March 9, 1995. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Mir

JSC2001-E-25813 (23 August 2001) --- Susan J. Helms, Expedition Two flight engineer, speaks from the podium in Hangar 990 at Ellington Field during the STS-105 and Expedition Two crew return ceremonies. Yury V. Usachev of Rosaviakosmos, Expedition Two mission commander, stands to Helms' left. Helms, Usachev and fellow Expedition Two crewmember James S. Voss spent five months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Official NASA/Commercial Crew Portrait - Suni Williams. Photo Date: July 31, 2018. Location: Building 8, Room 183 - Photo Studio.

JSC2002-E-36214 (6 September 2002) --- Astronaut Sandra H. Magnus, STS-112 mission specialist, fields a question during a pre-flight press conference at Johnson Space Center (JSC).

NASA astronaut candidate Jasmin Moghbeli poses for a portrait in the Systems Engineering Simulator, a real-time, crew-in-the-loop engineering simulator for the space station and advanced spaceflight programs, Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Expedition 58 Flight Engineer Anne McClain of NASA performs the traditional door signing at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing the hotel for launch in a Soyuz rocket with fellow crewmates, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer David Saint-Jacques of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for the same day and will carry McClain, Kononenko, and Saint-Jacques into orbit to begin their six and a half month mission on the International Space Station.

STS-95 Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, (M.D., Ph.D.), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), smiles as she dons her flight suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. The final fitting takes place prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39B. Targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, the mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is seen during an interview, Friday, March 2, 2018 at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Whitson spent 288 days onboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 50, 51, and 52, conducting four spacewalks and contributing to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science during her stay.

NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor gives a brief on the current NASA astronaut corps at a bipartisan Congressional Caucus for Womens Issues event on NASAs Artemis lunar exploration program, Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus dons her launch-and-entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Magnus is one of the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle. She has launched aboard a shuttle twice and most recently spent time aboard the International Space Station as an Expedition 18 crew member from November 2008 to March 2009. STS-135 is scheduled to lift off aboard space shuttle Atlantis at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 for a mission to the International Space Station.STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the orbiting outpost. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump des

STS-84 Pilot Eileen Marie Collins participates in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at Launch Pad 39A. Behind her is Commander Charles J. Precourt. TCDT is a dress rehearsal for the launch, which is scheduled May 15. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, STS-84 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission

. PHOTO DATE: March 29, 2023. LOCATION: Bldg. 8, Room 183 - Photo Studio. SUBJECT: Official portrait for Artemis II: Christina Koch. PHOTOGRAPHER: Josh Valcarcel

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-107 Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla finishes suitup for launch. STS-107 is a mission devoted to research and will include more than 80 experiments that will study Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety. The payload on Space Shuttle Columbia includes FREESTAR (Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research) and the SHI Research Double Module (SHI/RDM), known as SPACEHAB. Experiments on the module range from material sciences to life sciences. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:39 a.m. EST.

STS-84 Mission Specialist Elena V. Kondakova, a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency, arrives at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility. This will be Kondakovas first flight on a U.S. Space Shuttle, but her second trip into space. She spent 169 days in space as flight engineer of the 17th main mission on the Russian Space Station Mir from October 1994 to March 1995. STS-84 will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Mir. During the STS-84 docking, Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale will transfer to the Russian space station to become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth on Atlantis. Foale is scheduled to remain on Mir about four months until his replacement arrives on STS-86 in September

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Near Launch Pad 39A, STS-118 Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell practices using a video camera to film the external tank/solid rocket booster stack on Space Shuttle Endeavour. Caldwell will capture the separation of the tank from Endeavour after launch. The STS-118 crew is at Kennedy to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, including M-113 training, payload familiarization, emergency egress training at the pad and a simulated launch countdown. The payload aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour includes the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. The STS-118 mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and is targeted for launch on Aug. 7. NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson responds to a question from the media during a press conference at the slidewire basket landing on Launch Pad 39A. The crew is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test activities that include emergency egress procedures and a simulated launch countdown. Mission STS-120, which will carry the Italian-built U.S. Node 2 to the International Space Station, is targeted for launch on Oct. 23. Tani will remain aboard the station and return with the STS-122 crew, targeted to launch Dec. 6.

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