Astronaut Pre-Launch Preparations

Images of astronauts in bright orange suits and helmets preparing for missions at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, showcasing anticipation and high-tech environments.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Piers Sellers completes a fitting on his launch suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. On the 12-day mission, the crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station. This mission is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Dave Wolf checks the communication inside his helmet before heading to Launch Pad 39A for launch on space shuttle Endeavour. Liftoff is scheduled for 6:51 p.m. EDT. Today's launch will be the fifth attempt. The mission was scrubbed on June 13 and again June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was scrubbed July 12 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility, or JEM-EF, and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section, or ELM-ES, in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. STS-127 is the 29th flight for the assembly of the s

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-118 Commander Scott Kelly completes suitup with his helmet. Kelly is eager for liftoff aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour, scheduled at 6:36 p.m. EDT. 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Mission STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow checks the fit of his launch suit and helmet, part of pre-launch preparations during terminal countdown demonstration test (TCDT) activities. The mission crew is at KSC for the TCDT, which includes a simulated launch countdown. The STS-117 mission is No. 21 to the International Space Station. Mission payloads aboard Atlantis include the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the station. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 15.

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Commander James D. Halsell Jr. appears relaxed as he waits to head out to Launch Pad 39A for the fourth attempt at launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. 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 and will reboost the space station from 230 statute miles to 250 statute miles. This will be the third assembly flight to the Space Station. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Atlantis for the 10-day mission is scheduled for about 6:11 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A. Landing is targeted for May 29 at 2:19 a.m. EDT

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 suit-up and enter space shuttle Discovery for the 11:59 p.m. EDT liftoff. Seen here, Pilot Kevin Ford is ready for launch. The first launch attempt on Aug. 24 was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The second attempt on Aug. 25 also was postponed due to an issue with a valve in space shuttle Discovery's main propulsion system. 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Piers Sellers completes a fitting on his launch suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. On the 12-day mission, the crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station. This mission is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 astronauts 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 Andrew Feustel, seen here, last flew to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in 2009. STS-134 will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station. Endeavour was scheduled to launch at 3:47 p.m. on April 29, but that attempt was scrubbed for at least 72 hours while engineers assess an issue associated with the shuttle's Auxiliary Power Unit 1. STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Crew members for space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission don their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Pad 39A. Pilot Ken Ham adjusts his glove. The STS-124 mission 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. Launch is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. May 31.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building, the crew members of mission STS-117 are suiting up for a launch attempt at 7:38 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. Pictured here donning his helmet is Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester, who is making his second shuttle flight. The shuttle is delivering a new segment to the starboard side of the International Space Station's backbone, known as the truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install the S3/S4 truss segment, deploy a set of solar arrays and prepare them for operation. STS-117 is the 118th space shuttle flight, the 21st flight to the station, the 28th flight for Atlantis and the first of four flights planned for 2007.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Tim Kopra checks the communication system in his helmet. He and other crew members will be heading for Launch Pad 39A for a simulated launch countdown. The crew is at Kennedy for a launch dress rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, which includes emergency exit training and equipment familiarization. Endeavour's STS-127 mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japanese Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. Endeavour's launch is scheduled for June 13 at 7:17 a.m. EDT.

Expedition 70 Preflight. Expedition 70 Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as he and fellow crewmates NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and Roscosmos cosmonaut 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Crew members for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission put on their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission Specialist Shane Kimbrough dons his helmet. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-125 Mission Specialist John Grunsfeld fits the helmet on his launch-and-entry suit before heading for Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch will be Grunsfeld's fifth space shuttle flight. Liftoff is scheduled for 2:01 p.m. May 11 EDT. Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade NASA's Hubble Space Telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments that will expand Hubble's capabilities and extend its operational lifespan through at least 2014. The payload includes a Wide Field Camera 3, fine guidance sensor and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 crew members put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the 3.4-mile drive to Launch Pad 39A. Seen here is Mission Specialist Dave Wolf, who is checking his helmet. At the pad, Wolf and the other crew members will complete their suitup and enter space shuttle Endeavour for the 7:13 p.m. EDT liftoff. This is the fourth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The first two launch attempts on June 13 and June 17 were scrubbed when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. Mission managers also decided to delay tanking on July 11 for a launch attempt later in the day to allow engineers and safety personnel time to analyze data captured during lightning strikes near the pad on July 10. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility, or JEM-EF, and the Experiment Logistic

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 34/35 Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn of NASA strikes a serious pose during leak checks of his Russian Sokol launch and entry suit Dec. 7, 2012, part of a fit check” dress rehearsal for launch in the Soyuz TMA-07M spacecraft. Marshburn, Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko and Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency will launch Dec. 19 for a five-month mission on the International Space Station.

PHOTO DATE: 28 January 2011, LOCATION: NBL - Pool Topside, SUBJECT: STS-133 Crew members Steve Bowen and Benjamin Drew during EVA 2 training with Mike Barratt and Nicole Stott assisting.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 28 Flight Engineer Mike Fossum awaits to have his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked in preparation for his launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-02M on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz spacecraft will carry Expedition 28 Soyuz Commander Sergei Volkov, JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa and Fossum to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Prior to the third launch attempt on mission STS-121, Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter is suiting up before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The July 2 launch attempt was scrubbed due to the presence of showers and thunderstorms within the surrounding area of the launch site. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 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. - During suit check, STS-115 Mission Specialist Steven MacLean signals confidence about the launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis on Aug. 27. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency, will be making his second flight on a shuttle. 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.

STS-84 Commander Charles J. Precourt adjusts the helmet of his launch and entry suit during final prelaunch preparations in the Operations and Checkout Building. This is Precourts third space flight, but his first as commander. Precourt and six other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis awaits liftoff during an approximate 7-minute launch window which opens at about 4:08 a.m. This will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. The exact liftoff time will be determined about 90 minutes prior to launch, based on the most current location of Mir

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Crew members for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission put on their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission Specialist Don Pettit dons his helmet. Pettit is making his second shuttle flight. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa grins after suiting up for launch, scheduled for 4:40 p.m. EDT (20:40 GMT). Ochoa is making her fourth Shuttle flight. STS-110 is the 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying the S0 Integrated Truss Structure and Mobile Transporter (MT). On the 11-day mission, the mission features four spacewalks to attach the S0 truss, which will become the backbone of the Space Station, to the U.S. Lab, "Destiny." The MT, a space "railcar," is attached to the truss segment and will make its debut run during the flight

PHOTO DATE: 01-08-09LOCATION: Bldg. 9NW - CCT II MockupSUBJECT: STS-128 crew during CCT BAILOUT with Expedition astronaut Nicole Stott.

STS-81 Mission Specialist John M. Grunsfeld. gives a thumbs-up as he completes his launch/entry suitup in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. He is on his second Shuttle flight and holds doctorate and masters degrees in physics. He will be have overall responsibility for science experiments on the 7-day space flight and will watch over environmental and biological samples that will be taken on the Mir space station and returned to Earth on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. He and five crew members will shortly depart the O&C and head for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis will lift off during a 7-minute window that opens at 4:27 a.m. EST, January 12.

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 Christer Fuglesang, who is making his second shuttle flight. Fuglesang represents the European Space Agency. 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. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, the closeout crew prepares the launch and entry suit on STS-118 Pilot Charlie Hobaugh before he enters Space Shuttle Endeavour. Hobaugh and the rest of the crew are taking part in a simulated launch countdown, the culmination of terminal countdown demonstration test activities. The White Room is situated at the end of the orbiter access arm and provides entry into the orbiter. TCDT activities also include M-113 training, payload familiarization and emergency egress training at the pad. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour will carry a payload including the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. STS-118 is targeted for launch on Aug. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Pilot Mark Kelly gets help from the closeout crew with final adjustments to his launch suit before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. The crew is taking part in a full dress rehearsal for launch, including countdown and culminating in main engine cutoff. The rehearsal is the final part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that the crew has been involved in for two days. TCDT provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. Mission STS-121 is scheduled to be launched July 1.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Steven MacLean dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. MacLean is with the Canadian Space Agency. MacLean is making his second shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the white room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-120 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski gets ready to enter space shuttle Discovery for a simulated launch countdown. The countdown is the culmination of the prelaunch terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The TCDT at NASA's Kennedy Space Center provides astronauts and ground crews an opportunity to participate in various launch preparation 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. Discovery is targeted to launch on its 14-day mission at 11:38 a.m. EDT on Oct. 23.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 astronauts 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 Michael Fincke, seen here, last served as a member of the Expedition 18 crew of the International Space Station in 2009. This will be Fincke's first flight aboard a space shuttle. STS-134 will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station. Endeavour was scheduled to launch at 3:47 p.m. on April 29, but that attempt was scrubbed for at least 72 hours while engineers assess an issue associated with the shuttle's Auxiliary Power Unit 1. STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

STS-100 Mission Specialist John L. Phillips is fully suited for launch. The 11-day mission to the International Space Station will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet/Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator system and the UHF Antenna, and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello. The mission includes two planned spacewalks for installation of the SSRMS. The mission is also the inaugural flight of Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply/return stowage platforms. Liftoff on mission STS-100 is scheduled at 2:41 p.m. EDT April 19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Mission Specialist Daniel Tani has his helmet adjusted during fitting of his launch and entry suit. The fitting is part of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities the crew is undertaking at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The TCDT also includes emergency egress procedures, equipment familiarization 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Pilot Doug Hurley checks the fit of his helmet before heading to Launch Pad 39A for launch. Liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for 6:03 p.m. EDT. Today will be the sixth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The launch was scrubbed on June 13 and June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was postponed July 11, 12 and 13 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching, and lightning issues. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-124 Commander Mark Kelly tries on his helmet. The suit fit is part of the simulated launch countdown. The simulation is the culmination of the launch dress rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. Pilot Terry Virts, seen here, checks the fit of his suit's helmet. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects. The module was built in Turin

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-105 Pilot Rick Sturckow happy to get ready for the second launch attempt after a 24-hour weather delay. Launch countdown activities for the 12-day mission were called off at about 5:12 p.m. Aug. 9 during the T-9 minute hold due to the high potential for lightning, a thick cloud cover and the potential for showers. Launch is currently scheduled for 5:15 p.m. EDT Aug. 10. Highlighting the mission will be the rotation of the International Space Station crew, the third flight of an Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module delivering additional scientific racks, equipment and supplies for the Space Station, and two spacewalks. Included in the payload is the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank, which will be attached to the Station during the spacewalks. The EAS will be installed on the P6 truss, which holds the Stations giant U.S. solar arrays, batteries and the cooling radiators. The EAS contains spare ammonia for the Stations cooling system. The three

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 crew members put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the 3.4-mile drive to Launch Pad 39A. Pilot Doug Hurley checks the fit of his helmet. At the pad, Hurley and other crew members will complete their suitup and enter space shuttle Endeavour for the 7:13 p.m. EDT liftoff. This is the fourth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The first two launch attempts on June 13 and June 17 were scrubbed when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. Mission managers also decided to delay tanking on July 11 for a launch attempt later in the day to allow engineers and safety personnel time to analyze data captured during lightning strikes near the pad on July 10. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility, or JEM-EF, and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section,

Work Request Description: Expedition 58 crew qualification exams and preflight imagery at GCTC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-121 crew are donning their orange launch and entry suits for launch today on Space Shuttle Discovery. Having his boot worked on is Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter, who represents the European Space Agency. Reiter is making his first space shuttle 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. - During suit check, part of pre-launch activities, Expedition 5 Commander Valeri Korzun gets help with his helmet. Korzun is with the Russian Space Agency. Part of Mission STS-111, Expedition 5 will travel to the International Space Station on Space Shuttle Endeavour as the replacement crew for Expedition 4, who will return to Earth aboard the orbiter. The mission, known as Utilization Flight 2, is carrying supplies and equipment to the Station. The payload includes the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the Mobile Base System, which will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, or MSS, and a replacement wrist/roll joint for Canadarm 2. The mechanical arm will then have the capability to "inchworm" from the U.S. Lab Destiny to the MSS and travel along the truss to work sites. Launch is scheduled for May 30, 2002

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Mission Specialist Mike Massimino is fitted with his helmet during suitup before heading for Launch Pad 39A and launch of space shuttle Atlantis. Liftoff is scheduled for 2:01 p.m. May 11 EDT. Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade NASA's Hubble Space Telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments that will expand Hubble's capabilities and extend its operational lifespan through at least 2014. The payload includes a Wide Field Camera 3, fine guidance sensor and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-121 crew are donning their orange launch and entry suits for launch today on Space Shuttle Discovery. Seated here is Mission Specialist Michael Fossum, who is making his 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley pauses for a photo after checking the fit of his launch-and-landing suit, part of final preparations for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

S93-48462 (5 Nov. 1993) --- Astronaut Charles D. (Sam) Gemar, wearing a partial pressure launch and entry suit (LES), takes a break during a training exercise at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). The mission specialist and four crew mates rehearsed emergency egress procedures using the escape pole device in the trainer's hatchway (near right center frame).

Expedition 11 Commander Sergei Krikalev, right, is outfitted in his Russian Sokol suit, Friday, April 15, 2005, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Krikalev, along with Flight Engineer and NASA Science Officer John Phillips and European Space Agency Astronaut Roberto Vittori of Italy were preparing for launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at daybreak on April 15 for a two-day trip to the International Space Station. Krikalev and Phillips will spend six months on the station, replacing Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov, while Vittori will spend eight days on the Station under a commerical contract between ESA and the Russian Federal Space Agency, returning to Earth with Chiao and Sharipov on April 25.

Expedition 40 Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked in preparation for his launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz spacecraft with Wiseman, Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, ESA, is scheduled to launch at 1:57 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Thursday, May 29.

JSC2009-E-286671 (21 Dec. 2009) --- Astronaut Nicholas Patrick, STS-130 mission specialist, attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, participates in a training session in the Mission Simulation Development Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Crew members for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission put on their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Commander Chris Ferguson dons his helmet. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Christopher Cassidy checks the fit of his glove as he gets ready to head to Launch Pad 39A for launch. Liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for 6:03 p.m. EDT. Today will be the sixth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The launch was scrubbed on June 13 and June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was postponed July 11, 12 and 13 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching, and lightning issues. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman prepares to put on his space suit's helmet. Reisman was a flight engineer on the International Space Station's Expedition 16 and 17. The six-member STS-132 crew is at Kennedy for their Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. Following this practice 'suit-up,' the astronauts will ride in the Astrovan to Launch Pad 39A where they will participate in a simulated launch countdown from their seats inside space shuttle Atlantis. Launch is targeted for 2 19 p.m. EDT on May 14. On the STS-132 mission, the crew will deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier, or ICC, and the Russian-built Mini-Research Module-1, or MRM-1, to the International Space Station. The ICC is an unpressurized flat bed pallet and keel yoke assembly used to support the transfer of exterior cargo from the shuttle to the space station. The MRM-1,

Expedition 33/34 Flight Engineer Kevin Ford has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked ahead of his launch onboard a Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft to the International Space Station with fellow cremates, Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin, and Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, on Tuesday, October 23, 2012, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Ford, Novitskiy and Tarelkin on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-115 Pilot Christopher Ferguson is dressed in his launch suit before flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft to practice landing the shuttle. STA practice is part of launch preparations. The STA is a Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet that was modified to simulate an orbiters cockpit, motion and visual cues, and handling qualities. In flight, the STA duplicates the orbiters atmospheric descent trajectory from approximately 35,000 feet altitude to landing on a runway. Because the orbiter is unpowered during re-entry and landing, its high-speed glide must be perfectly executed the first time. Mission STS-115 is scheduled to lift off about 12:29 p.m. Sept. 6. Mission managers cancelled Atlantis' first launch campaign due to a lightning strike at the pad and the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto along Florida's east coast. The mission will deliver and install the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment to the port side of the integrated truss sy

PHOTO DATE: 04-23-13LOCATION: NBL - Pool Topside SUBJECT: Astronaut Expedition 39/40 (Soyuz 38) astronaut Steve Swanson during ISS Maintenance EVAAT at the NBL.

Expedition 50 ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet listens to a reporter's question ahead of the final qualification exams with fellow crew mates Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance suit technicians ensure the proper fit of the launch-and-entry suits of the STS-129 crew members. Pilot Barry E. Wilmore, seen here in the White Room, prepares to enter space shuttle Atlantis.Liftoff is set for 2:28 p.m. EST Nov. 16. On STS-129, the crew will deliver two Express Logistics Carriers to the International Space Station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 astronauts 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. Commander Mark Kelly, seen here, last commanded space shuttle Discovery during its STS-124 mission in 2008. STS-134 will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station. Endeavour was scheduled to launch at 3:47 p.m. on April 29, but that attempt was scrubbed for at least 72 hours while engineers assess an issue associated with the shuttle's Auxiliary Power Unit 1. STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of mission STS-116 are suiting up for launch at 9:35 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39B aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Pictured here is Pilot William Oefelein, adjusting his gloves. Oefelein will be making his first shuttle flight. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2003. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 19 at KSC.

STS-134 payload egress training in building 9NW's FFT mockup. Photo Date: February 3, 2010. Location: Building 9NW - FFT.

Expedition 57 Flight Engineer Nick Hague of NASA gives a thumbs up as he waits to have his Sokol suit pressure checked ahead of his launch on a Soyuz rocket with Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin of Roscosmos, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. During the Soyuz spacecraft's climb to orbit, an anomaly occurred, resulting in an abort downrange. The crew was quickly recovered and is in good condition.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-115 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper gives one last tug on the strap of her launch suit. Piper is making her first flight on a shuttle. She and other crew members are checking their launch suits and apparatus before the launch on Aug. 27. 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.

PHOTO DATE: 09-30-09LOCATION: NBL, TopsideSUBJECT: STS-132 Preflight Training - DiveWith Garret Reisman, Mike Goode and Stephen Bowen

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Return to Flight STS-114 Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson checks the fit of his launch and entry suit and helmet. This is Robinsons third Shuttle launch. There are two days to the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery scheduled for 3 51 p.m. July 13. This launch is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and is scheduled to last about 12 days with a planned KSC landing at about 11 06 a.m. EDT on July 25.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Mission Specialists Robert L. Satcher Jr., left, and Mike Foreman, dressed in their launch-and-entry suits, familiarize themselves with the operation of a slidewire basket as they practice making an emergency exit from space shuttle Atlantis. The six astronauts for space shuttle Atlantis STS-129 mission are participating in their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test.Additional training associated with the test was done last month, but the simulated countdown was postponed because of a scheduling conflict with the launch of NASAs Ares I-X test rocket. Launch of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is set for Nov. 16. On STS-129, the crew will deliver to the station two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm.

S95-09159 (27 Apr. 1995) --- Attired in a training version of the Shuttle partial pressure launch and entry garment, astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, is briefed on the use of the Sky-genie device by Scott Gill. The briefing was part of an emergency egress training session in the Johnson Space Centers (JSC) Systems Integration Facility. Two high fidelity training facilities in this lab are used to help prepare crew members for emergency procedures and to provide realistic settings for rehearsals of the launch and entry phases.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Mission Specialist Franklin Chang-Diaz gets ready in his launch and entry suit for a simulated launch countdown at the pad. The simulation is part of STS-111 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities for the crew and Expedition 5. The payload on the mission to the International Space Station includes the Mobile Base System, an Orbital Replacement Unit and Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. The Expedition 5 crew is traveling on Endeavour to replace the Expedition 4 crew on the Station. Launch of Endeavour is scheduled for May 30, 2002.

JSC2010-E-051965 (12 April 2010) --- NASA astronaut Andrew Feustel, STS-134 mission specialist, attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, participates in a post insertion/de-orbit training session on the middeck of a Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT) mock-up in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

PHOTO DATE: 03/31/09 (Fuglesang) - 0900;LOCATION: Bldg 7/SSATA ChamberSUBJECT: Fuglesang (03/31)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly prepares to board space shuttle Endeavour during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). Part of TCDT includes practicing the final hours of a real launch day when astronauts put on their launch-and-entry suits, ride to the pad in the Astrovan and strap into the shuttle.Endeavour's six crew members are targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

JSC2012-E-107896 (31 July 2012) --- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, Expedition 34 flight engineer and Expedition 35 commander, participates in an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit fit check in the Space Station Airlock Test Article (SSATA) in the Crew Systems Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center. NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, Expedition 34/35 flight engineer, assisted Hadfield.

S94-39762 (August 1994) --- Astronaut Carl J. Meade, STS-64 mission specialist, listens to ground monitors prior to a simulation of a spacewalk scheduled for his September mission. Meade, who shared the rehearsal in Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F) pool with crewmate astronaut Mark C. Lee (out of frame), is equipped with a training version of new extravehicular activity (EVA) hardware called the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system. The hardware includes a mobility-aiding back harness and a chest-mounted hand control module.

STS-91 Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence is ready to go as her flight suit gets a final checkout in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. The fitting takes place prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39A. She is a commander in the Navy and is on her third Shuttle mission and second trip to Mir. Lawrence has served as Director of Operations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, and has also trained for a Shuttle-Mir flight. Lawrence will also on the flight deck during ascent and re-entry as flight engineer. In this capacity, she will be on-hand to support the commander and copilot in these critical parts of the flight. She will also have primary responsibility for all Shuttle-Mir transfer operations and science experiments in the middeck crew cabin area. 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 and final Shuttle docking with the Russian spa

Expedition 40 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, ESA, is seen as he prepares to board the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft after waving farewell to those gathered on the pad on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Suraev, Gerst, and Wiseman will spend the next six months aboard the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Tim Kopra is ready to take part in the simulated launch countdown, which concludes the terminal countdown demonstration test. Endeavour's STS-127 mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japanese Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. Endeavour's launch is scheduled for June 13 at 7:17 a.m. EDT.

PHOTO DATE: 05-04-10LOCATION:NBL TOPSIDESUBJECT: Satoshi Furukawa and Aki Hoshide during their EVA Skills for training at the NBLWORK ORDER:1327-NBLJAXA-05-04-10

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-92 Commander Brian Duffy solemnly undergoes suit check before heading out to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. During the 11-day mission to the International Space Station, four extravehicular activities (EVAs), or spacewalks, are planned for construction. The payload includes the Integrated Truss Structure Z-1 and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. The Z-1 truss is the first of 10 that will become the backbone of the Space Station, eventually stretching the length of a football field. PMA-3 will provide a Shuttle docking port for solar array installation on the sixth Station flight and Lab installation on the seventh Station flight. Launch is scheduled for 7:17 p.m. EDT. Landing is expected Oct. 22 at 2:10 p.m. EDT

JSC2007-E-08811 (7 Feb. 2007) --- Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock, STS-120 mission specialist, awaits the start of a post insertion/de-orbit training session in one of the full-scale trainers (out of frame) in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center.

JSC2002-01742 (17 September 2002) --- Astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, STS-113 mission specialist, awaits the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Lopez-Alegria is wearing a training version of the shuttle launch and entry suit.

PHOTO DATE: 01-25-11LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, ISS MockupsSUBJECT: Expedition 28 crew member and JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa during ISS EVA P/P 33105 training with STS-135 crew members

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-123 Mission Specialist Mike Foreman dons his launch and entry suit before heading to Launch Pad 39A for liftoff on space shuttle Endeavour. The crew will make a record-breaking 16-day mission to the International Space Station. On STS-123, Endeavour and its crew will deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre. Launch is scheduled for 2:28 a.m. EDT March 11.

jsc2017e135206 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 54-55 prime crewmember Scott Tingle of NASA listens to a reporters question Nov. 29 as part of the crews final qualification exam activities. Tingle, Anton Shkaplerov of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will launch Dec. 17 on the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a five-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Elizabeth Weissinger.

Expedition 37/38 NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins is seen smiling before having his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked ahead of his launch onboard a Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft to the International Space Station, on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send the Expedition 37/38 crewmates on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Mission Specialist Richard Arnold completes putting on his launch-and-entry suit, including the helmet, for the launch of space shuttle Discovery. The crew will be heading for Launch Pad 39A and liftoff of Discovery, scheduled for 7:43 p.m. EDT on March 15. An earlier launch attempt March 11 was scrubbed at 2:36 p.m. due to a gaseous hydrogen leak from the external tank at the Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate during tanking. A seven-inch quick disconnect and two seals were replaced. The STS-119 mission is the 28th to the International Space Station and the 125th space shuttle flight. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science.

STS-94 Mission Commander James D. Halsell, Jr., puts his left glove on while he is assisted into his launch/entry suit in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. Halsell is on his fourth space flight, having served as commander of STS-83 and pilot of both STS-74 and STS-65. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and a former SR-71 Blackbird test pilot and holds masters degrees in management and space operations. Halsell will have responsibility for the success of the mission and will operate and maintain Columbia during the Red, or second shift. He will also assist with a materials science experiment and a protein crystal growth payload during the 16-day mission. Halsell and six fellow crew members will shortly depart the O&C and head for Launch Pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Columbia will lift off during a launch window that opens at 1:50 p.m. EDT, July 1. The launch window was opened 47 minutes early to improve the opportunity to lift off before Florida su

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman is assisted during suit-up activities by Lockheed Suit Technician Valerie McNeil from Johnson Space Center in KSC's Operations and Checkout Building. Altman and the rest of the STS-90 crew will shortly depart for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia awaits a second liftoff attempt at 2:19 p.m. EDT. His first trip into space, Altman is participating in a life sciences research flight that will focus on the most complex and least understood part of the human body the nervous system. Neurolab will examine the effects of spaceflight on the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and sensory organs in the human body

iss051e041844 (05/12/2017) -- NASA astronaut Jack Fischer is seen during the 200th spacewalk in support of the International Space Station. Expedition 51 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA successfully replaced a large avionics box that supplies electricity and data connections to the science experiments. The astronauts also completed additional tasks to install a connector that will route data to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, repair insulation at the connecting point of the Japanese robotic arm, and install a protective shield on the Pressurized Mating Adapter-3. This adapter will host a new international docking port for the arrival of commercial crew spacecraft.

JSC2008-E-139788 (12 Nov. 2008) --- Astronaut Tom Marshburn, STS-127 mission specialist, dons a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit in preparation for a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. United Space Alliance (USA) suit technician Raymond Cuevas assisted Marshburn.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Pilot George Zamka disembarks from the shuttle training aircraft, or STA, after successful landing practice on NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility runway. A modified Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet, the STA simulates an orbiter's cockpit, motion and visual cues and handling qualities. In flight, the STA duplicates the orbiter's atmospheric descent trajectory from approximately 35,000 feet altitude to landing on a runway. Melroy and other crew members are at Kennedy Space Center to take part in the terminal countdown demonstration test, which also includes a simulated launch countdown. Mission STS-120 is targeted for Oct. 23.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, members of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 crew participate in a crew equipment interface test, or CEIT. Shown here is Mission Specialist Steve Bowen. The CEIT provides hands-on experience with hardware and equipment slated to fly on their mission. Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station on the STS-126 mission. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10.

S87-26630 (March 1987) --- Astronaut Charles D. (Sam) Gemar, wearing a training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit, prepares to be emersed in the 25-ft. deep waters of the Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Once underwater, Gemar was able to achieve a neutrally buoyant state and to simulate the floating type activities of an astronaut in microgravity. Gemar began training as an astronaut candidate in the summer of 1985.

Expedition 24 Flight Enginner Shannon Walker waits to have her Russian Sokol Suit pressure checked at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tuesday, June 15, 2010. Walker, Flight Engineer Doug Wheelock and Soyuz Commander Yurchikhin launched in their Soyuz TMA-19 rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. (

Work Request Description: Expedition 55 Preflight, Launch

A technician places two inflight pens and a penlight in the spacesuit pocket of Frank Borman, Apollo 8 commander. In approximately four hours, Borman and fellow Apollo 8 astronauts James Lovell and William Anders are scheduled to lift off on a lunar orbiting mission. Base: Kennedy Space Center State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Expedition 37/38 Russian Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy has his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked ahead of his launch onboard a Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft to the International Space Station with fellow crewmates NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins and Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov, on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send the crewmates on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, checks his hair after having his Russian Sokol suit pressure checked in preparation for his launch onboard the Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft on Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Soyuz spacecraft with Suraev, Expedition 40 Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, ESA, and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA is scheduled to launch at 1:57 a.m. Kazakhstan Time on Thursday, May 29.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STs-108 Pilot Mark E. Kelly is helped with his launch and entry suit in preparation for the second launch attempt of Space Shuttle Endeavour. The first attempt Dec. 4 was scrubbed due to poor weather conditions at KSC. The main goals of the mission are to carry the Expedition 4 crew to the International Space Station as replacement for Expedition 3; carry the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello filled with water, equipment and supplies; and install thermal blankets over equipment at the base of the ISS solar wings. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001 and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 5:19 p.m. EST (22:19 GMT) Dec. 5, 2001, from Launch Pad 39B

Technician demonstrates $1 million spacesuit at Space Camp, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL

STS-81 Pilot Brent W. Jett, Jr. dons his launch/entry suit in the suitup room of the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. He is on his second Shuttle mission. Jett will assist with several of the 44 Risk Mitigation and Human Life Sciences experiments during the 10-day space flight and will perform the intricate flyaround maneuver of the Russian Mir space station after the Space Shuttle Atlantis undocks on flight day eight. He and five crew members will shortly depart the O&C and head for Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis will lift off during a 7-minute window that opens at 4:27 a.m. EST, January 12

STS-131 suited payload egress training (FFT PLD EG 91019) at Building 9 - FFT. Photo Date: September 14, 2009. Location: Building 9 - FFT.

JSC2007-E-06532 (2 Feb. 2007) --- Astronaut Scott E. Parazynski, STS-120 mission specialist, attired in a training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit, awaits the start of a training session in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center.

STS-131 water survival training. Photo Date: September 17, 2009. Location: NBL - Pool Topside.

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