Astronaut Preparation for Launch

Scenes of astronauts donning launch suits with crew assistance in a space shuttle environment, showcasing preparation for missions to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter is helped by the Closeout Crew to prepare for entering Discovery and the launch. Situated on the end of the orbiter access arm, the White Room provides access into the orbiter on the pad. The crew is preparing for the third launch attempt in four days; previous attempts were scrubbed due to weather concerns. 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. 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.

Before entering Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-102 Pilot James Kelly gets help with his launch and entry suit from technicians in the White Room. The mission is Kellys first Shuttle flight. Discovery is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo on the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. Discovery is set to launch March 8 at 6 42 a.m. EST. The 12-day mission is expected to end with a landing at KSC on March 20

JSC2008-E-122436 (7 Oct. 2008) --- Astronaut Tim Kopra, STS-127 mission specialist, participates in a training session in one of the full-scale trainers in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, Kopra is seated on the middeck for a post insertion/de-orbit training session. Kopra is scheduled to join Expedition 19 as flight engineer after launching to the International Space Station with the STS-127 crew.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter is helped by the Closeout Crew to prepare for entering Discovery and the launch. Situated on the end of the orbiter access arm, the White Room provides access into the orbiter on the pad. The crew is preparing for the third launch attempt in four days; previous attempts were scrubbed due to weather concerns. 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. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The final astronaut to board a space shuttle for flight, STS-135 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim, is assisted by the Closeout Crew in the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All three of Walheim's missions -- STS-110, STS-122 and now STS-135 -- will have been aboard space shuttle Atlantis. Four STS-135 crew members are scheduled to lift off 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 International Space Station. 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 designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th s

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Closeout Crew helps STS-134 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel put on the parachute for his launch-and-entry suit before he boards 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-90 Payload Specialist James Pawelczyk, Ph.D., is assisted by NASA and United Space Alliance closeout crew members immediately preceding launch for the nearly 17-day Neurolab mission. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system. Pawelczyk and six fellow crew members will shortly enter the orbiter at KSC's Launch Pad 39B, where the Space Shuttle Columbia will lift off during a launch window that opens at 2:19 p.m. EDT, April 17

STS-92 Mission Specialist Peter J.K. Jeff” Wisoff reaches out to shake the hand of Danny Wyatt, KSC NASA Quality Assurance specialist, after completing final check of his launch and entry suit in the White Room before entering Discovery. The White Room is an environmentally controlled area at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm that provides entry to the orbiter as well as emergency egress if needed. The arm remains in the extended position until 7 minutes 24 seconds before launch. Wisoff and the rest of the crew are undertaking the fifth flight to the International Space Station for construction. Discovery carries a payload that includes the Integrated Truss Structure Z-1, first of 10 trusses that will form the backbone of the Space Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter that will provide a Shuttle docking port for solar array installation on the sixth Station flight and Lab installation on the seventh Station flight. The mission includes four spacewalks for the construction

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the white room on Launch Pad 39A, the closeout crew helps STS-120 Pilot George Zamka to get into a parachute pack before entering space shuttle Discovery for a simulated launch countdown. The countdown is the culmination of the prelaunch terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. His name patch reflects the nicknames the crew gave each other for the event. 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.

STS-89 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., is assisted with his ascent and re-entry flight suit in the white room at Launch Pad 39A before entering Space Shuttle Endeavour for launch. The STS-89 mission will be the eighth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, Thomas will transfer to the space station, succeeding David Wolf, M.D., who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour. Dr. Thomas will live and work on Mir until June. STS-89 is scheduled for a Jan. 22 liftoff at 9:48 p.m

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Commander Kenneth Cockrell is assisted by members of the Closeout Crew in the White Room before entering Space Shuttle Endeavour for launch. The White Room, at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm, provides entry into the cockpit area of the orbiter. Other crew members are Pilot Paul Lockhart, Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin (CNES), and the Expedition Five Commander Valeri Korzun, astronaut Peggy Whitson and cosmonaut Sergei Treschev. This mission, a utilization flight, marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the third Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-111 is the 18th flight of Endeavour and the 110th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room, STS-109 Mission Specialist Richard M. Linnehan (center) is helped with his launch and entry suit by Rene Arriens (left), USA mechanical technician, and Jean Alexander (right), NASA suit technician. In the foreground is Travis Thompson, USA Orbiter Vehicle closeout chief. On the mission, Space Shuttle Columbia will rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope for the crew to replace and upgrade key telescope systems through five challenging spacewalks. After an extensive 2-1/2 year modification period during which many systems were replaced and enhanced, Columbia is making its 27th flight in the Shuttle program. After the 11-day mission, Columbia is expected to land at Kennedy Space Center March 12

In the environmental chamber known as the white room, STS-95 Pilot Steven W. Lindsey is prepared by closeout room crew members Dave Law(left), Danny Wyatt and Travis Thompson (right) for entry into the Space Shuttle Discovery for his second flight into space. The STS-95 mission, targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley thanks Closeout Crew member Rene Arriens for his assistance as he prepares to board space shuttle Atlantis through the crew hatch in the background. Members of the Closeout Crew, in white uniforms, are there to assist astronauts with their launch-and-entry suits and the boarding process. The STS-135 crew members are at the pad to participate in a launch countdown simulation exercise.As part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), the crew members are strapped into their seats on Atlantis to practice the steps that will be taken on launch day. Shuttle Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Pilot Tony Antonelli is helped by the Closeout Crew to put on his harness. Antonelli will enter space shuttle Discovery along with the other crew members to conduct a simulated launch countdown. The astronauts are at Kennedy to prepare for launch through Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. The TCDT includes equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. Discovery is targeted to launch on the STS-119 mission Feb. 12. During the 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and solar arrays to the starboard side of the International Space Station, completing the station's truss, or backbone.

STS-88 Pilot Frederick W. "Rick" Sturckow is assisted with his ascent and re-entry flight suit in the white room at Launch Pad 39A before entering Space Shuttle Endeavour for launch. During the nearly 12-day mission, the six-member crew will mate the first two elements of the International Space Station the already-orbiting Zarya control module with the Unity connecting module carried by Endeavour. He is making his first spaceflight

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa has final suit preparations - In the White Room before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis for launch. The White Room provides entry into the cockpit area of the orbiter. This is Ochoa's fourth Shuttle flight. On this 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station, STS-110 is carrying the S0 Integrated Truss Structure and Mobile Transporter (MT). During the 11-day mission, astronauts will make 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. Launch is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. EDT (20:40 GMT).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-120 Pilot George Zamka is helped by the closeout crew to put on a parachute and get ready to enter space shuttle Discovery for liftoff at 11:38 a.m. EDT. The STS-120 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.

STS-130 TCDT - ORBITER INGRESS - WHITEROOM

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-116 Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang is helped by the closeout crew in the White Room to secure his launch suit before climbing into Space Shuttle Discovery. Fuglesang represents the European Space Agency. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm that extends from the fixed service structure and provides entry into the orbiter. The first launch attempt of STS-116 on Dec. 7 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. This second launch attempt is scheduled for 8:47 p.m. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2002. 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. 21 at KSC.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room, STS-100 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski is helped with his launch and entry suit by the closeout crew. The White Room is an environmental chamber at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm that provides entry into the orbiter on the launch pad. The mission will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet/Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Canadian-built Space Station Remote Manipulator System and the UHF Antenna. Two spacewalks are planned for installation of the SSRMS, which will be performed by Mission Specialists Parazynski and Chris Hadfield, who is with the Canadian Space Agency. The mission is also the inaugural flight of Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply/return stowage platforms. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-100 is scheduled at 2:41 p.m. EDT April 19.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Mission Specialist Steve Bowen prepares to enter space shuttle Atlantis from the pad's White Room. STS-132 is Bowen's second spaceflight. The six-member STS-132 crew is participating in a dress rehearsal for launch, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, from their seats in the crew compartment of 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, known as Rassvet, is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia and will be permanently attached to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya control module. Rassvet, which translates t

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Closeout Crew helps STS-134 Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff put on the parachute for his launch-and-entry suit before he boards space shuttle Endeavour during the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). Behind Chamitoff is Pilot Greg H. Johnson. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Commander Ken Ham prepares to enter space shuttle Atlantis from the pad's White Room. STS-132 is Ham's second spaceflight. The six-member STS-132 crew is participating in a dress rehearsal for launch, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, from their seats in the crew compartment of 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, known as Rassvet, is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia and will be permanently attached to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya control module. Rassvet, which translates to

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Expedition Three crew practices emergency egress from the orbiter as they head to the slidewire basket. Leading is Commander Frank Culbertson, followed by cosmonauts Vladimir Nikolaevich Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin. Both the STS-105 and Expedition Three crews are at Kennedy Space Center participating in a Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, a dress rehearsal for launch. The activities includes emergency egress training, a simulated launch countdown and familiarization with the payload. Mission STS-105 will be transporting the Expedition Three crew, several payloads and scientific experiments to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. The Expedition Two crew members currently on the Station will return to Earth on Discovery. The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than Aug. 9, 2001

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Mission Specialist Michael Good stands while cool air is pumped through his launch-and-entry suit. He is preparing to enter space shuttle Atlantis through the open hatch in the background. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure and provides access into the shuttle. Atlantis' 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the 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. Launch of Atlantis on the STS-125 mission is scheduled for 2:01 p.m. May 11 EDT.

Before entering the orbiter Discovery, STS-96 Mission Specialist Valery Ivanovich Tokarev (center) is checked out by white room closeout crew members Mechanical Technician Chris Meinert and Quality Assurance Specialist Jim Davis on the left, and Closeout Chief Travis Thompson and Suit Technician Jean Alexander on the right. The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. STS-96 is a 10-day logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying about 4,000 pounds of supplies, to be stored aboard the station for use by future crews, including laptop computers, cameras, tools, spare parts, and clothing. The mission also includes such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-involved experiment. It will include a space walk to attach the cranes to the outside of t

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After a successful simulated launch countdown, STS-128 Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester (left) and Jose Hernandez relax in the slidewire basket on NASA Kennedy Space Center's fixed service structure. They have completed practicing emergency exit from the pad. 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.

Three members of the STS-83 flight crew head toward the orbiter access arm on the 195-foot level Launch of Pad 39A that will take them to the crew hatch of the Space Shuttle Columbia during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) exercises for that mission. Mission Specialist Donald A. Thomas is in the center of the group. Other crew members on the 16-day Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) mission are: Mission Commander James D. Halsell, Jr.; Pilot Susan L. Still; Payload Commander Janice Voss; Mission Specialist Michael L.Gernhardt; and Payload Specialists Gregory T. Linteris and Roger K. Crouch.

Before entering Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-102 Mission Specialist James Voss (center) is helped preparing his launch and entry suit for launch from technicians in the White Room. The mission is Vosss fifth Shuttle flight. In the background is Pilot James Kelly waiting to enter Discovery. Voss is also part of the Expedition Two crew flying on the mission to replace the Expedition One crew on the Station. Discovery is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo on the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. Discovery is set to launch March 8 at 6 42 a.m. EST. The 12-day mission is expected to end with a landing at KSC on March 20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Pilot Tony Antonelli prepares to enter space shuttle Atlantis from the pad's White Room. STS-132 is Antonelli's second spaceflight. The six-member STS-132 crew is participating in a dress rehearsal for launch, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, from their seats in the crew compartment of 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, known as Rassvet, is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia and will be permanently attached to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya control module. Rassvet, which tran

STS-84 Mission Specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39A with help from white room closeout crew members. The fourth Shuttle mission of 1997 will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. The commander is Charles J. Precourt. The pilot is Eileen Marie Collins. The five mission specialists are C. Michael Foale, Carlos I. Noriega, Edward Tsang Lu, Jean-Francois Clervoy of the European Space Agency and Elena V. Kondakova of the Russian Space Agency. The planned nine-day mission will include the exchange of Foale for U.S. astronaut and Mir 23 crew member Jerry M. Linenger, who has been on Mir since Jan. 15. Linenger transferred to Mir during the last docking mission, STS-81; he will return to Earth on Atlantis. Foale is slated to remain on Mir for about four months until he is replaced in September by STS-86 Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence. During the five days Atlantis is scheduled to be docked

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During simulated pad emergency exit training on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus (left) and Rex Walheim position themselves in a slidewire basket that would take them to a safe bunker below the pad in the unlikely event of an emergency. The exercise is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space 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

Before entering Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-102 Mission Specialist James Voss (center) is helped preparing his launch and entry suit for launch from technicians in the White Room. The mission is Vosss fifth Shuttle flight. In the background is Pilot James Kelly waiting to enter Discovery. Voss is also part of the Expedition Two crew flying on the mission to replace the Expedition One crew on the Station. Discovery is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo on the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. Discovery is set to launch March 8 at 6:42 a.m. EST. The 12-day mission is expected to end with a landing at KSC on March 20

STS-93 Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby is checked out by white room closeout crew members before entering the orbiter Columbia. The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 27 at 11:20 p.m. EDT

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room, STS-109 Mission Specialist Nancy Jane Currie is helped with her launch and entry suit by closeout crew member Rene Arriens (behind her), USA mechanical technician. At right is Danny Wyatt, NASA quality assurance specialist; in the foreground left is Tim Seymour, USA mechanical technician. On the mission, Columbia will rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope for the crew to replace and upgrade key telescope systems through five challenging spacewalks. After an extensive 2-1/2 year modification period during which many systems were replaced and enhanced, Columbia is making its 27th flight in the Shuttle program. After the 11-day mission, Columbia is expected to land at Kennedy Space Center March 12.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Expedition Five cosmonaut Sergei Treschev talks to members of the Closeout Crew in the White Room before entering Space Shuttle Endeavour for launch of mission STS-111. The White Room, at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm, provides entry into the cockpit area of the orbiter. Other crew members are Commander Kenneth Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart, Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin (CNES), and Expedition Five Commander Valeri Korzun and astronaut Peggy Whitson. This mission, a utilization flight, marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the third Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-111 is the 18th flight of Endeavour and the 110th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program

STS-94 Payload Specialist Roger K. Crouch prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Pad 39A in preparation for launch. He is the Chief Scientist of the NASA Microgravity Space and Applications Division. He also has served as a Program Scientist for previous Spacelab microgravity missions and is an expert in semiconductor crystal growth. Since Crouch has more than 25 years of experience as a materials scientist, he will be concentrating on the five physics of materials processing experiments in the Middeck Glovebox Facility on the Blue shift. He will also share the workload with Thomas by monitoring the materials furnace experiments during this time. Crouch and six fellow crew members will lift off during a launch window that opens at 1:50 p.m. EDT, July 1. The launch window will open 47 minutes early to improve the opportunity to lift off before Florida summer rain showers reach the space center

S81-34432 (July 1981) --- Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton, STS-3 pilot, takes part in a suit donning and doffing exercise aboard a KC-135 zero-gravity aircraft. Mission specialist/astronaut William F. Fisher holds a mirror to assist Fullerton with hose and cable linkups to his suit. A special parabolic pattern flown by the KC-135 provides short durations of weightlessness. Fullerton's suit is an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), used by astronauts when leaving the shirt-sleeve environment of their shuttle orbiter to go outside and perform tasks in the vacuum of space. There are no such EVA plans on STS-3, but the crewmen are trained in this area in the event of a contingency.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - STS-108 Mission Specialist Linda A. Godwin gets help with her launch and entry suit before entering Endeavour. 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

JSC2003-E-01128 (10 January 2003) --- Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, STS-114 mission specialist, participates in an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit fit check in the Space Station Airlock Test Article (SSATA) in the Crew Systems Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Astronaut Eileen M. Collins, mission commander, assisted Noguchi, who represents the Japanese Space Agency.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Expedition 4 crew sit in the slidewire basket, part of the emergency egress system from the 195-foot level of the Fixed Service Structure on Launch Pad 39B. Ready to reach for the release handle is (left) astronaut Daniel W. Bursch; in the center is Commander Yuri Onufrienko, and on the right is astronaut Carl E. Walz. Expedition 4, which is the replacement resident crew for the International Space Station, is traveling to the Space Station as part of mission STS-108. The training is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a simulated launch countdown.. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-108 is scheduled for Nov. 29 at 7:44 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-115 Mission Specialist Steven MacLean adjusts his launch suit while talking with the closeout crew. MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency, is making his second shuttle flight. During the 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 International Space Station. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-86 Mission Specialists Vladimir Georgievich Titov of the Russian Space Agency, at left, and Scott E. Parazynski practice emergency egress procedures in a slidewire basket as part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at Launch Pad 39A. Titov and Parazynski are scheduled to perform a spacewalk during the STS-86 mission, which will be the seventh docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. Liftoff of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on Mission STS-86 is targeted for Sept. 25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- - In the White Room, STS-109 Mission Specialists John M. Grunsfeld (left) and James H. Newman (right) signal their confidence and readiness for launch. At left, kneeling, is closeout crew member Danny Wyatt, NASA quality assurance specialist. Grunsfeld is Payload Commander on the mission, on which Columbia will rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope for the crew to replace and upgrade key telescope systems through five challenging spacewalks. After an extensive 2-1/2 year modification period during which many systems were replaced and enhanced, Columbia is making its 27th flight in the Shuttle program. After the 11-day mission, Columbia is expected to land at Kennedy Space Center March 12.

STS-89 Mission Specialist Michael Anderson is assisted with his ascent and re-entry flight suit in the white room at Launch Pad 39A before entering Space Shuttle Endeavour for launch. The STS-89 mission will be the eighth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will transfer to the space station, succeeding David Wolf, M.D., who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour. Dr. Thomas will live and work on Mir until June. STS-89 is scheduled for a Jan. 22 liftoff at 9:48 p.m

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Closeout Crew in the White Room help STS-128 crew members complete their suit-up before entering space shuttle Discovery for the 11:59 p.m. EDT liftoff. Seen here at center is Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester. Near Discovery's hatch at right is Mission Specialist Danny Olivas. 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 STS-128 mission is the 30th International Space Station assembly flight and the 128th space 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 th

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Commander Lee Archambault is helped by the Closeout Crew to put on his harness. Archambault will enter space shuttle Discovery along with the other crew members to conduct a simulated launch countdown. The astronauts are at Kennedy to prepare for launch through Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. The TCDT includes equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. Discovery is targeted to launch on the STS-119 mission Feb. 12. During the 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and solar arrays to the starboard side of the International Space Station, completing the station's truss, or backbone.

JSC2009-E-207964 (14 Sept. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio (foreground), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Naoko Yamazaki and NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, all STS-131 mission specialists, participate in a training session in one of the full-scale trainers in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, the three are seated on the middeck for a post insertion/de-orbit training session. United Space Alliance suit technician Raymond Cuevas assisted the crew members.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the closeout crew helps STS-122 Mission Specialist Leopold Eyharts don his parachute before entering space shuttle Atlantis for liftoff at 2:45 p.m. EST. Eyharts, who represents the European Space Agency, is making his first shuttle flight. The launch will be the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the closeout crew in the White Room help STS-127 crew members complete their suitup before entering space shuttle Endeavour for the 7:13 p.m. EDT liftoff. Seen here is Pilot Doug Hurley. 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, 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 Inter

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the white room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-116 Commander Mark Polansky is helped with his gear before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough, left, Marsha Ivins and Randy Bresnik take a break from an exercise known as crew egress evaluation from an Orion mock-up. Behind them are Rene Arriens, left, and Tim Seymour, closeout crew members participating in the exercise. The spacecraft is replicated in all areas that could affect a crew's escape, including the area that seals to a launch pad's White Room. The exercise focuses on whether astronauts and their rescue crews can exit the vehicle quickly in the event of a pad emergency.

S70-34848 (11 April 1970) --- Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., commander for NASA's Apollo 13 mission, undergoes space suit checks a few hours before launch. Other members of the crew are astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., lunar module pilot, and John L. Swigert Jr., command module pilot. Swigert replaced astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II when it was learned he had been exposed to measles.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the white room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-116 Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang is helped with his gear before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission crew is taking part in a simulated launch countdown, part of the terminal countdown demonstration test that includes prelaunch preparations. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7.

STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) (left) and Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby (right) are checked out by white room closeout crew members before entering the orbiter Columbia. The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 27 at 11:20 p.m. EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-126 Commander Chris Ferguson adjusts his headset before donning his helmet. He will enter space shuttle Endeavour to take part in a simulated launch countdown with the other crew members. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, which includes equipment familiarization, emergency exit training and the simulated 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. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the closeout crew helps STS-122 Mission Specialist Hans Schlegel with his launch and entry suit before entering space shuttle Atlantis for liftoff at 2:45 p.m. EST. Schlegel, who represents the European Space Agency, is making his second shuttle flight. Behind Schlegel is Pilot Alan Poindexter. The launch will be the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, the closeout crew prepares the launch and entry suit on STS-118 Mission Specialist Dave Williams before he enters Space Shuttle Endeavour. Williams, who represents the Canadian Space Agency, 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.

PHOTO DATE: 11-19-09LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, CCT-IISUBJECT: STS-130 crew with training teams & ASC/CAP/DES 91020 training in CCT-II

S98-07970 (5 June 1998) --- The two payload specialists in training for the STS-95 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery prepare to take their assigned launch and entry seats on the mid deck of one of the shutte training mockups in JSC's systems integration facility. Wearing training versions of the shuttle partial pressure launch and entry suits, the two were joined by the other five STS-95 crew members for the training session, one of many planned in preparation for the scheduled October launch aboard Discovery.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The final astronaut to board a space shuttle for flight, STS-135 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim, bids farewell to the Closeout Crew in the White Room of Launch Pad 39A. All three of Walheim's missions -- STS-110, STS-122 and now STS-135 -- will have been aboard space shuttle Atlantis. Four STS-135 crew members are scheduled to lift off 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 International Space Station. 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 designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and

STS-87 Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D., is assisted with her ascent and re-entry flight suit in the white room at Launch Pad 39B by Danny Wyatt, NASA quality assurance specialist. Kneeing before Dr. Chawla to assist her is George Schram, USA mechanical technician, as Dr. Chawla prepares to enter the Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia on launch day. STS-87 is the fourth flight of the United States Microgravity Payload and Spartan-201

STS-93 Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France is checked out by white room closeout crew members before entering the orbiter Columbia. Tognini is with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 27 at 11:20 p.m. EDT

PHOTO DATE: 01-25-10LOCATION: Bldg. 5 - Motion Base Simulator SUBJECT: STS-133 crew members (Lindsey, Boe, Drew and Kopra) for Motion Base Ascent Skill 32011 training with Instructor Tom Hansen.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Commander Lee Archambault is helped by the Closeout Crew to put on his harness. The White Room provides access into space shuttle Discovery. Archambault and other crew members will conduct a simulated launch countdown as part of the prelaunch preparation known as Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The TCDT also includes equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. Discovery is targeted to launch on the STS-119 mission Feb. 12. During the 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and solar arrays to the starboard side of the International Space Station, completing the station's truss, or backbone.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, the STS-109 crew practices emergency exit from the Shuttle. Seated in the slidewire basket at the 195-foot level of the Fixed Service Structure are Pilot Duane Carey (left) and Commander Scott Altman (right). The TCDT also includes a simulated launch countdown. STS-109 is a Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission, with goals to replace Solar Array 2 with Solar Array 3, replace the Power Control Unit, remove the Faint Object Camera and install the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), install the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cooling System, and install New Outer Blanket Layer insulation. The 11-day mission will require five spacewalks to perform the tasks. Launch of STS-109 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2002

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A, STS-111 Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz and Philippe Perrin practice making a hasty exit from the 195-foot level to the slidewire baskets in the event of an emergency. Perrin is with the French Space Agency. They and the rest of the STS-111 crew and Expedition 5 crew are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. Mission STS-111 is Utilization Flight 2, carrying equipment and supplies in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo to the International Space Station, plus the Mobile Base System (MBA) and an Orbital Replacement Unit. The MBS will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, or MSS, enabling Canadarm 2 to 'inchworm' from the U.S. Lab Destiny to the MSS and travel along the truss to work sites. The Expedition 5 crew is traveling on Endeavour to replace the Expedition 4 crew on th

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During a simulated launch countdown on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Mission Specialists Nicole Stott, left, and Michael Barratt are strapped into their seats on space shuttle Discovery. Next, they will practice escaping the shuttle, in preparation for an unlikely emergency at the pad on launch day. The simulated launch countdown and emergency exit training are part of a week-long Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT).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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson sends a greeting home while having his flight equipment checked before he enters Space Shuttle Discovery for launch. Helping him are (front) USA Mechanical Technician Al Schmidt and (back) NASA Quality Assurance Specialist Ken Strite. The payload on the STS-105 mission to the International Space Station includes the third flight of the Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, delivering additional scientific racks, equipment and supplies for the Space Station, and the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank. The EAS, which will be attached to the Station during two spacewalks, contains spare ammonia for the Stations cooling system. Also, the Expedition Three crew is aboard to replace the Expedition Two crew on the International Space Station, who will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station

STS-91 Mission Specialist Janet Lynn Kavandi gets some help with her flight suit from David Brandt in the White Room at Launch Pad 39A. He and white room crew member Greg Lohning will assist Kavandi to enter the Space Shuttle Discovery through the hatch seen in the background

STS-130 LAUNCH L-0 WHITE ROOM ACTIVITIES

PHOTO DATE: 24 June 2010, LOCATION: Bldg. 7 - SSATA Chamber, SUBJECT: STB-SS-1914 - SSATA Crew Training for STS-133 crew member Benjamin A. Drew. ,

STS-130 LAUNCH L-0 WHITE ROOM ACTIVITIES

STS097-310-032 (11 December 2000) --- Astronauts (left to right) Marc Garneau, Joseph R. Tanner, both mission specialists, and Brent W. Jett, mission commander, are photographed on the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Endeavour as they prepare for re-entry. Garneau represents the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

KSC-66C-1875Astronauts David Scott and Neil Armstrong wait for the order to board their Gemini 8 Spacecraft in the White Room at Cape Kennedy, Complex 19. (jrs)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-125 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel is ready to enter the hatch into space shuttle Atlantis for a simulated launch countdown. The countdown is the culmination of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities as preparation before launch. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various launch activities, including equipment familiarization, emergency training and the countdown. Atlantis STS-125 mission to service NASAs Hubble Space Telescope is targeted for launch Oct. 14.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During simulated pad emergency exit training on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson (left) and Pilot Doug Hurley position themselves in a slidewire basket that would take them to a safe bunker below the pad in the unlikely event of an emergency. The exercise is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space 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

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-123 Commander Dominic Gorie is helped with his final flight suit fit check in the White Room before entering space shuttle Endeavour for launch. The White Room provides access into the shuttle. Liftoff was on time at 2:28 a.m. EDT. The crew will make a record-breaking 16-day mission to the International Space Station and deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre.

In the White Room, STS-100 Mission Specialist John L. Phillips is helped with his launch and entry suit by closeout crew members Danny Wyatt (left) and George Schramm (right). This is Phillips’ first Shuttle launch. The White Room is an environmental chamber at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm that provides entry into the orbiter on the launch pad. The mission will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet/Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Canadian-built Space Station Remote Manipulator System and the UHF Antenna. Two spacewalks are planned for installation of the SSRMS, which will be performed by Mission Specialists Scott E. Parazynski and Chris A. Hadfield, who is with the Canadian Space Agency. The mission is also the inaugural flight of the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply/return stowage platforms. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-100 is scheduled at 2:41 p.m. EDT April 19

JSC2008-E-035897 (22 April 2008) --- Astronaut Michael T. Good, STS-125 mission specialist, 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. Astronaut John M. Grunsfeld, mission specialist, assisted Good.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-114 Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi is helped by the Closeout Crew with his launch and entry suit before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. This is Noguchis first Shuttle flight. He represents the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station carries the External Stowage Platform-2, equipped with spare part assemblies, and a replacement Control Moment Gyroscope contained in the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure and Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, housing 15 tons of hardware and supplies that will be transferred to the Station after the Shuttle docks to the complex . On this mission, the crew will perform inspections on-orbit for the first time of all of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the leading edge of the wings and the Thermal Protection System tiles using the new Canadian-built Orbiter Boom Sensor System and the data from 176 impact and temperatur

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-106 Mission Specialist Yuri I. Malenchenko makes a speedy exit from the Shuttle Atlantis into the White Room during emergency egress training. Right behind him is Mission Specialist Daniel C. Burbank. The training is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Activities (TCDT) the crew is undertaking at Launch Pad 39B. The TCDT also provides the crew with opportunities to inspect their mission payload in the orbiters payload bay, and a simulated launch countdown. STS-106 is scheduled to launch Sept. 8, 2000, at 8:31 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B. On the 11-day mission, the seven-member crew will perform support tasks on orbit, transfer supplies and prepare the living quarters in the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module. The first long-duration crew, dubbed “Expedition One,” is due to arrive at the Station in late fall

Before entering Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-102 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas is helped with his launch and entry suit by technicians in the White Room. The mission is Thomass third Shuttle flight. Discovery is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo on the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. Discovery is set to launch March 8 at 6:42 a.m. EST. The 12-day mission is expected to end with a landing at KSC on March 20

In the white room prior to launch, STS-96 Commander Kent V. Rominger reaches to shake hands with Suit Technician Jean Alexander. The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. At right are closeout crew members Chief Travis Thompson and Quality Assurance Specialist James Davis; at left is Mechanical Technician Chris Meinert. STS-96 is a 10-day logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying about 4,000 pounds of supplies, to be stored aboard the station for use by future crews, including laptop computers, cameras, tools, spare parts, and clothing. The mission also includes such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-involved experiment. It will include a space walk to attach the cranes to the outside of the ISS for use in future construction. Space S

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-120 Mission Specialists Doug Wheelock and Stephanie Wilson are eager to start the mission, after being helped by the closeout crew, and enter space shuttle Discovery for liftoff at 11:38 a.m. EDT. The STS-120 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.

In the White Room, STS-98 Pilot Mark Polansky gets help with his launch and entry suit before entering Atlantis for a simulated launch countdown. The White Room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm that mates with the orbiter to allow personnel to enter the orbiters crew compartment. The STS-98 crew is taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which also include emergency egress training at the pad. STS-98 is the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the U.S. Lab Destiny, a key element in the construction of the ISS. Launch of STS-98 is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 2:11 a.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak is helped by the Closeout Crew with final preparations on her launch suit before entering Discovery. Situated on the end of the orbiter access arm, the White Room provides access into the orbiter on the pad. The crew is preparing for the third launch attempt in four days; previous attempts were scrubbed due to weather concerns. 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. 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.

PHOTO DATE: 01-27-09LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, FFTSUBJECT: STS-128 crew with Expedition crew member Cady Coleman during payload egress training

JSC2002-E-22539 (28 May 2002) --- Astronaut Sandra H. Magnus, STS-112 mission specialist, is photographed as the final touches are made on the training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit prior to being submerged in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near the Johnson Space Center (JSC). United Space Alliance (USA) crew trainer Don Kestler assisted Magnus.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-110 Mission Specialist Steven Smith is wished good luck by a member of the Closeout Crew before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis for launch. The White Room provides entry into the cockpit area of the orbiter. This is Smith's fourth Shuttle flight. STS-110 is carrying the S0 Integrated Truss Structure and Mobile Transporter (MT) on this 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station. On the 11-day mission, astronauts, including Smith, will make 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. Launch is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. EDT (20:40 GMT)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-83 Payload Specialist Gregory T. Linteris chats with White Room closeout crew members as he prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Pad 39A. Closeout crew workers Max Kandler (second from right) and Bob Saulnier wait to assist Linteris with his ascent/reentry suit.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-123 Mission Specialist Rick Linnehan is helped with his boot during suitup for launch 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Pilot Mark Kelly heads for the Closeout Crew who will help with final preparations on his launch suit before entering Discovery. Situated on the end of the orbiter access arm, the White Room provides access into the orbiter on the pad. The crew is preparing for the third launch attempt in four days; previous attempts were scrubbed due to weather concerns. 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. 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.

S96-18553 (30 Oct. 1996) --- Astronaut Scott J. Horowitz, pilot, gets help with his launch and entry suit prior to a training session in JSC's systems integration facility. Wearing training versions of the partial pressure launch and entry escape suit, Horowitz and his crewmates went on to simulate an emergency ejection, using the escape pole system on the mid deck, as well as other phases of their scheduled February mission.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 crew members review procedures for entry into space shuttle Atlantis with a trainer (right). From left are Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, Mission Specialist Megan McArthur, Commander Scott Altman, and Mission Specialists Andrew Feustel and Mike Massimino. Not seen clearly are Mission Specialists Michael Good (left) and John Grunsfeld (right). Space shuttle Atlantis' 11-day flight is targeted for launch May 12 and will include five spacewalks to refurbish and upgrade the telescope with state-of-the-art science instruments. As a result, Hubble's capabilities will be expanded and its operational lifespan extended through at least 2014.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 crew members listen to instructions about emergency exit from the shuttle. The astronauts are, clockwise from left, Mission Specialist Julie Payette, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Christopher Cassidy and Tim Kopra, and Commander Mark Polansky. At far right is Mission Specialist Dave Wolf. Payette represents the Canadian Space Agency. 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 targeted for June 13.

PHOTO DATE: 05-18-09LOCATION: Bldg 9NW CCTIISUBJECT: STS-128 Preflight Training, Post Insertion Activities

JSC2000-04076 (12 May 2000) --- Cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko, Expedition One Soyuz commander, lies on a couch on the mid deck of a Johnson Space Center trainer during a rehearsal of shuttle descent. Gidzenko and his Expedition One crewmates will return from their stay aboard ISS in the Space Shuttle Discovery around mid February 2001.

In the White Room with the closeout crew, STS-98 Mission Specialist Thomas Jones shows a message to his family before he enters Space Shuttle Atlantis for launch. The White Room is an environmentally controlled room at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm. Atlantis is carrying the U.S. Laboratory Destiny, a key module in the growth of the Space Station. Destiny will be attached to the Unity node on the Space Station using the Shuttles robotic arm. Three spacewalks are required to complete the planned construction work during the 11-day mission. This mission marks the seventh Shuttle flight to the Space Station, the 23rd flight of Atlantis and the 102nd flight overall in NASAs Space Shuttle program. The planned landing is at KSC Feb. 18 about 1 p.m

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