Astronaut Suit Preparations

Images of astronauts in orange space suits preparing for missions at the Kennedy Space Center, capturing the excitement of space travel.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-111 Commander Kenneth Cockrell suits up for the scheduled liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour at 7:44 p.m. EDT. This is Cockrell's fifth Shuttle flight. STS-111 is the second Utilization Flight to the International Space Station, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the Mobile Base System (MBS), and a replacement wrist/roll joint for the Canadarm 2. The MBS will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, or MSS. In addition, Expedition 5 is traveling on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station to replace the current resident crew, Expedition 4, who will return to Earth with the STS-111 crew

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 is Mission Specialist Steven Swanson after donning his helmet. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Expedition 4 Commander Yuri Onufrienko undergoes final suit check before launch on mission STS-108 Nov. 29. Top priorities for the STS-108 (UF-1) mission of Endeavour are rotation of the International Space Station Expedition Three and Expedition Four crews; bringing water, equipment and supplies to the station in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello; and completion of robotics tasks and a spacewalk to install thermal blankets over two pieces of equipment at the bases of the Space Station's solar wings. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:41 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-111 Commander Kenneth Cockrell suits up for the scheduled liftoff of Space Shuttle Endeavour at 7:44 p.m. EDT. This is Cockrell's fifth Shuttle flight. STS-111 is the second Utilization Flight to the International Space Station, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the Mobile Base System (MBS), and a replacement wrist/roll joint for the Canadarm 2. The MBS will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, or MSS. In addition, Expedition 5 is traveling on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station to replace the current resident crew, Expedition 4, who will return to Earth with the STS-111 crew

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Mission Specialist Franklin Chang-Diaz suits up again for the second launch attempt aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station. This mission marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the 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. On mission STS-111, astronauts will deliver the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, the Mobile Base System (MBS), and the Expedition Five crew to the Space Station. During the seven days Endeavour will be docked to the Station, three spacewalks will be performed dedicated to installing MBS and the replacement wrist-roll joint on the Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. Endeavour will also carry the Expedition 5 crew, who will replace Expedition 4 on board the Station. Expedition 4 crew members will return to Earth with the STS-111 crew. Liftoff is scheduled for 5:22 p

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-116 Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang checks the fit of his helmet during suit fit-check, part of the prelaunch preparations during terminal countdown demonstration test (TCDT) activities. The mission crew is at KSC for the TCDT, which includes a simulated launch countdown. Fuglesang represents the European Space Agency. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Mission Specialist Franklin Chang-Diaz undergoes suit check as part of pre-launch activities. 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. Also part of the mission, Expedition 5 will travel to the International Space Station as the replacement crew for Expedition 4, who will return to Earth aboard the orbiter. 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-131 Mission Specialist Clayton Anderson verifies that his helmet is functioning properly. The members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. The crew is participating in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. TCDT includes training on the emergency egress systems at the launch pad, driving practice of the M-113 armored personnel carrier and a simulated launch countdown. The crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonard, filled with resupply stowage platforms and science racks, to the International Space Station. STS-131, targeted for launch on April 5, will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, the Return to Flight STS-114 crew suits up in preparation for launch aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Seen here is Mission Specialist Charles Camarda, who is making his first Space Shuttle flight. The crew is scheduled to launch on this historic mission at 3 51 p.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. It is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and the 31st for Discovery. The 12-day mission is expected to end with touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 11 06 a.m. July 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis STS-122 Mission Specialist Stanley Love has his helmet fitted on his launch and entry suit, preparing for launch. The fitting is part of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities the crew is undertaking at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with equipment familiarization, emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. On mission STS-122, Atlantis will deliver the Columbus module to the International Space Station. The European Space Agency's largest single contribution to the station, Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. The laboratory will expand the research facilities aboard the station, providing crew members and scientists from around the world the ability to conduct a variety of experiments in the physical, materials and life sciences. Launch is targeted for Dec. 6.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Tom Marshburn 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 t

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-128 Commander Rick Sturckow completes the fit check of his launch and entry suit and helmet before heading to the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A for the simulated launch countdown. The countdown is the culmination of terminal countdown demonstration test activities to prepare the STS-128 crew for launch on space shuttle Discovery's 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.

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

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-124 Mission Specialist Greg Chamitoff is dressed and ready for 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.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Return to Flight STS-114 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas checks the fit of his launch and entry suit, as well as his helmet. This is Thomas fourth Shuttle flight. 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. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley checks the fit of his launch-and-entry suit and helmet during a simulated launch countdown. As part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), the crew members are taken to Kennedy's Launch Pad 39A and strapped into space shuttle Atlantis to practice the steps that will be taken on launch day. 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 fin

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-100 Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski smiles for the camera during suit fit and check. Parazynski and the rest of the crew Commander Kent V. Rominger, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Chris A. Hadfield, John L. Phillips, Umberto Guidoni and Yuri V. Lonchakov are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, from emergency escape training at the pad to a simulated launch countdown. An international crew, Hadfield is with the Canadian Space Agency, Guidoni the European Space Agency and Lonchakov the Russian Aviation and Space Agency. The mission is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station. Raffaello carries six system racks and two storage racks for the U.S. Lab. The SSRMS is crucial to the continued assembly of the orbiting complex and has a unique ability to switch ends as it works, inchworming” along the Station’s exte

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -STS-114 Pilot James Kelly suits up in the Operations and Checkout Building for the trip to Launch Pad 39B for a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The dress rehearsal is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities held prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Commander James D. Halsell Jr. smiles while he finishes suiting up before heading a third time to Launch Pad 39A and launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The previous two launch attempts were scrubbed due to high cross winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The mission will take the crew to the International Space Station to deliver logistics and supplies and to prepare the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk. This is the third assembly flight to the Space Station. After the 10-day mission, Atlantis is expected to land at KSC May 6 at about 12:03 p.m. EDT

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-116 mission crew practices for launch with a simulation of activities, from crew breakfast and suit-up to countdown in the orbiter. In this photo Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang, who represents the European Space Agency, grins in anticipation of the launch countdown. When he is completely suited he will head to Launch Pad 39B. 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 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 Tim Kopra, who is making his first shuttle flight. At the pad, he and the other crew members will complete their suitup and enter space shuttle Endeavour for the 7:13 p.m. EDT liftoff. Kopra will remain on the International Space Station as the Expedition 20 flight engineer. 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 wi

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-126 Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus checks the fit of her helmet during suit-up in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Magnus and other crew members are having their launch-and-entry suits fit-checked prior to heading for Launch Pad 39A. The crew will take part in a simulated launch countdown at the pad.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. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the STS-120 crew don their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Pad 39A for launch aboard space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Seen here is Mission Specialist Doug Wheelock, who is making his first shuttle flight. Discovery is scheduled for liftoff at 11:38 a.m. EDT. The mission will be the 23rd assembly flight to the space station and the 34th flight for Discovery. Payload on the mission is the Italian-built U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. During the 14-day mission, the crew will install Harmony and move the P6 solar arrays to their permanent position and deploy them. Discovery is expected to complete its mission and return home at 4:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 6.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-114 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas has donned his launch and entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Thomas is making his fourth space flight on the historic Return to Flight mission STS-114 to the International Space Station. On its second attempt for launch, Discovery is scheduled to lift off at 10 39 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. It is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and the 31st for Discovery. The 12-day mission is expected to end with touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Aug. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-118 Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio gets help suiting up before the simulated launch countdown that concludes the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The STS-118 crew has been at Kennedy for the TCDT activities that 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.

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-93 Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) smiles after donning his launch and entry suit during final launch preparations. 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. The new telescope is 20 to 50 times more sensitive than any previous X-ray telescope and is expected unlock the secrets of supernovae, quasars and black holes. The STS-93 crew numbers five: Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Hawley, Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as commander of a shuttle mission. STS-93 is scheduled to lift off at 12:36 a.m. EDT July 20. The target landing date is July 24 at 11:30 p.m. EDT

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Expedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox adjusts his gloves during fit check of his launch and entry suit, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. He and the rest of the crew are preparing for the mission aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour, which is scheduled to launch Nov. 10. The TCDT includes emergency egress training and a launch countdown. The Expedition 6 crew will travel on Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station to replace Expedition 5, returning to Earth after 4 months. The primary payloads on mission STS-113 are the first port truss segment, P1, and the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart B. Once delivered, the P1 truss will remain stowed until flight 12A.1 in 2003 when it will be attached to the central truss segment, S0, on the Space Station. Launch is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2002.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Commander Steven Lindsey is helped with his boot during suitup before heading to Launch Pad 39B and the third attempt at liftoff on mission STS-121. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-128 Pilot Kevin Ford completes the fit check of his launch and entry suit and helmet before heading to the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A for the simulated launch countdown. The countdown is the culmination of terminal countdown demonstration test activities to prepare the STS-128 crew for launch on space shuttle Discovery's 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Tim Kopra gets ready to put on his helmet for a fit check 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-113 Commander James Wetherbee shows a serious side as he suits up for a second launch attempt on mission STS-113. The launch on Nov. 22 was scrubbed due to poor weather conditions at the Transoceanic Abort Landing sites. Wetherbee will be making his sixth Shuttle flight. The launch will carry the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and return the Expedition 5 crew to Earth. The major objective of the mission is delivery of the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Assembly, which will be attached to the port side of the S0 truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install and activate the truss and its associated equipment. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-113 is now scheduled for Nov. 23 at 7:50 p.m. EST.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Pilot Alan Poindexter is helped with his boots while donning his launch and entry suit for launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-122 mission. The launch, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST, 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. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-132 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. Pilot Tony Antonelli, seen here checking out his helmet, is making his second spaceflight. The Russian-built Mini Research Module-1 known as Rassvet, or 'dawn,' is inside the shuttle's cargo bay. It will provide additional storage space and a new docking port for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. The laboratory will be attached to the bottom port of the station's Zarya module. The mission's three spacewalks will focus on storing spare components outside the station, including six batteries, a communications antenna and parts for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm. STS-132 is the 132nd shuttle flight, the 32nd for Atlantis and the 34th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Dressed in his launch and entry suit, STS-122 Pilot Alan Poindexter is seated in the shuttle training aircraft, or STA, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Poindexter and Commander Steve Frick are practicing shuttle landings in the STA before the Feb. 7 launch of space shuttle Atlantis. The STA is a Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet that was modified to simulate 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. Because the orbiter is unpowered during re-entry and landing, its high-speed glide must be perfectly executed the first time.

STS-90 Mission Specialist Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., sits in a chair during suitup activities in the Operations and Checkout Building. Linnehan 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 second trip into space, Linnehan 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

STS-103 Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. is suited up and ready to go for the second launch attempt of Space Shuttle Discovery. The previous launch attempt on Dec. 17 was scrubbed about 8:52 p.m. due to numerous violations of weather launch commit criteria at KSC. Brown and fellow crew members Pilot Scott J. Kelly and Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-Francois Clervoy of France are scheduled to lift off at 7:50 p.m. EST Dec. 19 on mission STS-103, servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. Objectives for the nearly eight-day mission include replacing gyroscopes and an old computer, installing another solid state recorder, and replacing damaged insulation in the telescope. Discovery is expected to land at KSC Monday, Dec. 27, at about 5:24 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-111 Commander Kenneth Cockrell has suited up in preparation 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Piers Sellers is eager for launch as he suits up before heading to Launch Pad 39B and liftoff. 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. - STS-111 Commander Kenneth Cockrell gives a thumbs up for a successful launch attempt, the second in six days, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station. This is Cockrell's fifth Shuttle flight. This mission marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the 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. On mission STS-111, astronauts will deliver the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, the Mobile Base System (MBS), and the Expedition Five crew to the Space Station. During the seven days Endeavour will be docked to the Station, three spacewalks will be performed dedicated to installing MBS and the replacement wrist-roll joint on the Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. Endeavour will also carry the Expedition 5 crew, who will replace Expedition 4 on board the Station. Expedition 4 crew members will return to E

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak is still eager for launch after suitup for a second launch attempt on Space Shuttle Discovery. The first launch attempt July 1 was scrubbed due to weather concerns and postponed 24 hours. 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. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Tom Marshburn checks equipment as part of pre-pack and fit check in preparation for space shuttle Endeavour's launch on June 13 to the International Space Station. Marshburn will be making his first shuttle flight. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility, or JEM-EF, and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section, or ELM-ES, on STS-127. The mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- During suitup, Expedition 4 crew member Carl E. Walz gives a thumbs up for launch. The Expedition 4 crew will be traveling to the International Space Station on mission STS-108 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. Top priorities for the 11-day STS-108 (UF-1) mission are the rotation of the Expedition 3 and 4 crews; bringing water, equipment and supplies to the station in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello; and the crew's completion of robotics tasks and a spacewalk to install thermal blankets over two pieces of equipment at the bases of the Space Station's solar wings. Launch is scheduled for 5 45 p.m. EST Dec. 4, 2001, from Launch Pad 39B

JSC2007-E-08805 (7 Feb. 2007) --- Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, astronaut Scott E. Parazynski, 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- 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 is Mission Specialist John "Danny" Olivas, who is making his first 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. - STS-125 Commander Scott Altman fits his helmet to his launch-and-entry suit before heading for Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch will be Altman's fourth 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-125 Mission Specialist puts on his glove, checking the fit, 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.

JSC2000-E-23715 (2 October 2000) --- Astronaut Daniel W. Bursch, Expedition Four flight engineer, relaxes following his suit-up process prior to a mission training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz finishes with suit check before heading to Launch Pad 39A. 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-118 Pilot Charlie Hobaugh suits up for the simulated launch countdown that concludes the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The STS-118 crew has been at Kennedy for the TCDT activities that 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.

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Mission Specialist Jeffrey N. Williams gets final check on his launch and entry suit before heading a third time to Launch Pad 39A for launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The previous two launch attempts were scrubbed due to high cross winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The mission will take the crew to the International Space Station to deliver logistics and supplies and to prepare the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk. This is the third assembly flight to the Space Station. After the 10-day mission, Atlantis is expected to land at KSC May 6 at about 12:03 p.m. EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-125 Mission Specialist Michael Good tries on his launch-and-entry suit to check the fit. Good will be making his first shuttle launch. His name patch reflects the nicknames the crew gave each other. The crew is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities as preparation before launch on space shuttle Atlantis STS-125 mission to service NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization, emergency training and a launch countdown. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 14.

SC2000-E-23716 (September 2000) --- Attired in a training version of his full-pressure launch and entry garment, astronaut Paul W. Richards, mission specialist for STS-102, is pictured prior to participating in an emergency bailout training exercise in the Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT-2) of the Systems Integration Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-114 Mission Specialist Charles Camarda dons his launch and entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Camarda is making his first space flight on the historic Return to Flight mission STS-114 to the International Space Station. On its second attempt for launch, Discovery is scheduled to lift off at 10 39 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. It is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and the 31st for Discovery. The 12-day mission is expected to end with touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Aug. 7.

STS-90 Payload Specialist Jay Buckey, M.D., prepares for launch during suit-up activities in KSC's Operations and Checkout Building. Buckey 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, Buckey 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

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 on a mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in 2009. STS-134 will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the International Space Station. May 16 at 8:56 a.m. will be the second launch attempt for Endeavour. The first attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2). STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Expedition 4 crew member Carl E. Walz gives thumbs up for a successful 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

STS-130 LAUNCH L-0 SUITING

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-115 Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner adjusts his helmet. Tanner is making his fourth flight on a shuttle. He and other crew members are checking their launch suits and apparatus before the launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis on Aug. 27. 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-94 Payload Commander Janice Voss smiles and gives a thumbs-up as she is assisted into her launch/entry suit in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. She has flown on STS-83, STS-63 and STS-57. Voss holds a doctorate degree in aeronautics/astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has earned two NASA Space Flight Medals. As Payload Commander and a member of the Blue team, Voss will have overall responsibility for the operation of all of the MSL-1 experiments. During the experimentation phase of the mission, she be working primarily with three combustion experiments. She 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 summer rain showers reached the space center

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-133 Mission Specialist Nicole Stott is suited up in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a simulated launch countdown. Checking the fit of their orange launch-and-entry suits and helmets before launch day is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), which provides each shuttle crew and launch team an opportunity to participate in various simulated activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training at the launch pad.Space shuttle Discovery and its STS-133 crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m.

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Commander James D. Halsell Jr. appears relaxed while waiting to finish suiting up before heading to Launch Pad 39A and 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. This will be the third assembly flight to the Space Station

S90-38948 (9 March 1990) --- Astronaut Richard O. Covey, STS-38 commander, is seen in a close-up view during training exercises with a special escape pole. The device was designed and deployed on all active orbiters following the January 1986 Challenger accident.

JSC2001-00008 (January 2001) --- Astronaut Steven W. Lindsey, STS-104 mission commander, adjusts his helmet as he prepares to participate in a simulation of a parachute drop into water during emergency bailout training at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center (JSC). Lindsey will join four other astronauts for a June mission with the International Space Station (ISS).

JSC2010-E-024596 (11 Feb. 2010) --- Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff, STS-134 mission specialist, participates in a training session on the middeck of the crew compartment trainer (CCT-2) in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

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

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Pilot Scott J. Horowitz gets help suiting up before heading a third time to Launch Pad 39A and launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The previous two launch attempts were scrubbed due to high cross winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The mission will take the crew to the International Space Station to deliver logistics and supplies and to prepare the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk. This is the third assembly flight to the Space Station. After the 10-day mission, Atlantis is expected to land at KSC May 6 at about 12:03 p.m. EDT

STS-130 TCDT - SUITING

S89-39471 (17 July 1989) --- STS-28 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, Pilot Richard N. Richards, adjusts launch and entry suit (LES) neck ring after donning launch and entry helmet (LEH). Richards prepares for shuttle emergency egress (bailout) procedures in the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Mockup and Integration Laboratory Bldg 9A.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- During pre-launch preparations, Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson shows his eagerness for liftoff. On the mission, Discovery will be transporting the Expedition Three crew and several scientific experiments and payloads to the ISS, including the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank. The EAS, which will support the thermal control subsystems until a permanent system is activated, will be attached to the Station during two spacewalks. The three-member Expedition Two crew will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station. Launch is scheduled for 5:38 p.m. EDT Aug. 9

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 Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the International Space Station. May 16 at 8:56 a.m. will be the second launch attempt for Endeavour. The first attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2). STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Mission STS-117 Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester has donned his launch suit and helmet for a fit check, part of the 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.

JSC2007-E-43408 (15 Aug. 2007) --- Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, astronaut Kenneth T. Ham, STS-124 pilot, awaits the start of a water survival training session in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-116 Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham has donned her complete launch suit to check the fit, part of the prelaunch 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-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 Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialist Julie Payette, with the Canadian Space Agency, checks the fit of her 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-114 Mission Commander Eileen Collins dons the helmet of her launch and entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Collins is making her fourth space flight on the historic Return to Flight mission STS-114 to the International Space Station. On its second attempt for launch, Discovery is scheduled to lift off at 10 39 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. It is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and the 31st for Discovery. The 12-day mission is expected to end with touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility on Aug. 7.

After donning his launch and entry suit, a grinning STS-103 Mission Specialist Claude Nicollier of Switzerland signals he is ready for the second launch attempt of Space Shuttle Discovery. The previous launch attempt on Dec. 17 was scrubbed about 8:52 p.m. due to numerous violations of weather launch commit criteria at KSC. Nicollier and fellow crew members Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly and Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.) and Jean-Francois Clervoy of France are scheduled to lift off at 7:50 p.m. EST Dec. 19 on mission STS-103, servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. Objectives for the nearly eight-day mission include replacing gyroscopes and an old computer, installing another solid state recorder, and replacing damaged insulation in the telescope. Discovery is expected to land at KSC Monday, Dec. 27, at about 5:24 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A suit technician helps STS-114 Pilot James Kelly suit up in the Operations and Checkout Building for the trip to Launch Pad 39B for a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The dress rehearsal is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities held prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky checks the fit of 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 space station.

STS-97 Mission Specialist Marc Garneau, who is with the Canadian Space Agency, waves after donning his launch and entry suit. This is his third Shuttle flight.; Mission STS-97 is the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. It is transporting the P6 Integrated Truss Structure that comprises Solar Array Wing-3 and the Integrated Electronic Assembly, to be installed on the Space Station. The solar arrays are mounted on a blanket” that can be folded like an accordion for delivery. Once in orbit, astronauts will deploy the blankets to their full size. The 11-day mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections. The Station’s electrical power system will use eight photovoltaic solar arrays, each 112 feet long by 39 feet wide, to convert sunlight to electricity.. Gimbals will be used to rotate the arrays so that they will face the Sun to provide maximum power to the Space Station. Launch is scheduled for Nov. 30 at 10:06 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- During pre-launch preparations, STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz smiles in anticipation of liftoff. On the mission, Discovery will be transporting the Expedition Three crew and several scientific experiments and payloads to the ISS, including the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) tank. The EAS, which will support the thermal control subsystems until a permanent system is activated, will be attached to the Station during two spacewalks. The three-member Expedition Two crew will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station. Launch is scheduled for 5 38 p.m. EDT Aug. 9

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 is Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang, who represents the European Space Agency. 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 th

STS-130 TCDT - SUITING

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-133 Pilot Eric Boe is suited up in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a simulated launch countdown. Checking the fit of their orange launch-and-entry suits and helmets before launch day is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), which provides each shuttle crew and launch team an opportunity to participate in various simulated activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training at the launch pad.Space shuttle Discovery and its STS-133 crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m.

JSC2000-04749 (15 June 2000) --- Astronaut Michael J. Bloomfield, STS-97 pilot, prepares to participate in a 'dry run' of launch countdown procedures in the Systems Integration Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

Expedition 34/35 Soyuz Commander Roman Romanenko is helped into his Russian Sokol suit as he and fellow cremates, Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn and Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield prepare for their Soyuz launch to the International Space Station, on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket will send Romanenko, Marshburn and Hadfield on a five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Following the mock countdown on Launch Pad 39B, STS-114 Pilot James Kelly adjusts his glove before climbing into a slidewire basket used for emergency egress from the Fixed Service Structure at the pad. This is part of the pre-launch training included in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. TCDT provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-123 Mission Specialist Robert L. Behnken is fully suited for the launch dress rehearsal, culmination of the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. Space shuttle Endeavour is targeted to launch March 11 at 2:28 a.m. EDT on the 16-day STS-123 mission to the International Space Station. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Mission Specialist Doug Wheelock has his helmet fitted on his launch and entry suit, preparing for launch. 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-128 crew members put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the 3.4-mile drive to Launch Pad 39A. There, crew members will complete their suitup and enter space shuttle Discovery for the 1:36 a.m. EDT liftoff. Seen here is Mission Specialist Nicole Stott, checking communications in her helmet. 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. - As part of pre-pack and fit check for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities, STS-114 Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson signals okay for his launch suit check. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. The test ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the launch pad. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Commander Ken Ham puts on his space suit for his second practice countdown. 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, known as Rassvet, is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia and wi

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-108 Commander Dominic L. Gorie is ready in his launch and entry suit 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-122 Mission Specialist Hans Schlegel dons his launch and entry suit for a final fitting before space shuttle Atlantis' launch scheduled for 4:31 p.m. EST on Dec. 6. Schlegel, who represents the European Space Agency, will make his second shuttle flight. Atlantis will carry the Columbus Lab, Europes largest contribution to the construction of the International Space Station. It will support scientific and technological research in a microgravity environment. Columbus, a program of ESA, is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to Node 2 of the space station to carry out experiments in materials science, fluid physics and biosciences, as well as to perform a number of technological applications.

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room of Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Pilot Eric Boe prepares to board space shuttle Discovery 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.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.

JSC2008-E-008458 (29 Jan. 2008) --- Astronaut John M. Grunsfeld, STS-125 mission specialist, dons a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit in preparation for a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-118 Commander Scott Kelly checks the fit of his launch and entry suit. The fitting is part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, activities that include a simulated launch countdown. Kelly is suiting up also for landing practice in the shuttle training aircraft, known as an STA. The STA is a Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet that was modified to simulate 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. The STS-118 mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and is targeted for launch on Aug. 7. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour includes the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-107 Mission Specialist David Brown waves as he completes suit check prior to Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include a simulated launch countdown at the pad. STS-107 is a mission devoted to research and will include more than 80 experiments that will study Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety. Launch is planned for Jan. 16, 2003, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. EST aboard Space Shuttle Columbia..

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