Astronauts Preparing for Space Missions

Images of astronauts in orange launch suits getting assistance in the White Room at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, depicting pre-launch preparations and teamwork.

PHOTO DATE: 05-20-09LOCATION: Bldg 5, Fixed Based SimulatorSUBJECT: STS-128 Preflight Training

Technicians in the White Room, Launch Pad 39B, help STS-102 Mission Specialist Paul Richards with his launch and entry suit before he enters Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission is Richards first Shuttle flight. In the background is Mission Specialist Susan Helms. 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. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Pilot Tony Antonelli is getting into his harness, which includes a parachute pack, before crawling through the open hatch into space shuttle Discovery. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure and provides access into the shuttle. The STS-119 mission is the 28th to the International Space Station and the 125th space shuttle flight. Discovery will deliver the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment. Installation of S6 will signal the station's readiness to house a six-member crew for conducting increased science. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:43 p.m. EDT.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room, STS-109 Pilot Duane G. Carey (center) is helped with his launch and entry suit by Tim Seymour (left), United Space Alliance mechanical technician, and Danny Wyatt (right), NASA quality assurance specialist. 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, the STS-109 crew practices emergency exit from the Shuttle. Leading the way to the slidewire basket on the 195-foot level is Pilot Duane Carey, followed by Commander Scott Altman. 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

STS-92 Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata of Japan gets a 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. Wakata and the rest of the crew are making 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 activities. Discoverys landing is expected Oct. 22 at 2:10 p.m. EDT

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-103 Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., in his orange launch and entry suit, enjoys a laugh with closeout crew members in the White Room before entering the orbiter. From left are United Space Alliance (USA) Mechanical Technician Rene Arriens, USA Orbiter Vehicle Closeout Chief Travis Thompson, and NASA Quality Assurance Specialist Danny Wyatt. The white room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure. It provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. The mission, to service the Hubble Space Telescope, is 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

STS-88 Commander Robert D. Cabana 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. Cabana is making his fourth spaceflight

Before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-106 Mission Specialist Edward T. Lu gets help with his launch and entry suit in the White Room. The perfect on-time liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-106 occurred at 8:45:47 a.m. EDT. On the 11-day mission to the International Space Station, 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. Landing of Atlantis is targeted for 4:45 a.m. EDT on Sept. 19

PHOTO DATE: 05-20-09LOCATION: Bldg 5, Fixed Based SimulatorSUBJECT: STS-128 Preflight Training

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room, STS-109 Commander Scott D. Altman (center) is helped by the Closeout Crew for launch. At left is Danny Wyatt, NASA quality assurance specialist; at right is Tim Seymour, United Space Alliance mechanical technician. 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

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - -- In the White Room at Launch Pad 39B, STS-112 Mission Specialist Fyodor N. Yurchikhin, Ph.D., a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency, receives assistance with his spacesuit before boarding Space Shuttle Atlantis. Liftoff is schedued for 3:46 p.m. EDT. Along with a crew of six, Atlantis will carry the S1 Integrated Truss Structure and the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart A to the International Space Station (ISS). The CETA is the first of two human-powered carts that will ride along the ISS railway, providing mobile work platforms for future spacewalking astronauts. On the 11-day mission, three spacewalks are planned to attach the S1 truss.

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 Rick Mastracchio before he enters Space Shuttle Endeavour. Mastracchio 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.

In an environmental chamber known as the white room, STS-95 Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown is prepared by closeout crew members (left to right)Danny Wyatt, Jean Alexander, Dave Law and Travis Thompson for entry into the Space Shuttle Discovery for his fifth 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. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-126 Mission Specialists (top to bottom) Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus are strapped in their seats in space shuttle Endeavour. They and other crew members will take part in a simulated launch countdown. 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. - Sitting in the slidewire basket on the launch pad are (left to right) STS-107 Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon, Payload Commander Michael Anderson and Mission Specialist Laurel Clark. The crew is taking part in a simulated launch countdown, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. 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..

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After a successful simulated launch countdown, STS-128 Mission Specialists (from left) Danny Olivas, Nicole Stott and Christer Fuglesang hurry to the slidewire basket area on NASA Kennedy Space Center's fixed service structure. They are practicing emergency exit from the pad. They and other mission crew members are at Kennedy to take part in the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, which includes emergency exit training and culminates in the simulated countdown. On the STS-128 mission, Discovery will deliver 33,000 pounds of equipment to the station, including science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch is targeted for late August.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-115 Commander Brent Jett gets help with his launch suit from the closeout crew before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis. Jett is making his fourth 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance spacesuit technicians help STS-133 Mission Specialist Michael Barratt put on the parachute for his launch-and-entry suit before he enters space shuttle Discovery through the crew hatch in the background. Michael Barratt is making his first flight aboard a space shuttle. Barratt has called the space station home before, though, after spending 199 days as a crew member of Expeditions 19 and 20 in 2009.Scheduled to lift off Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz sends a message home while preparing to enter Space Shuttle Discovery for launch. Assisting with flight equipment are (left) Orbiter Vehicle Closeout Chief Chris Meinert, (right) USA Mechanical Technician Al Schmidt and (behind) 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 Station's cooling system. Also, the Expedition Three crew is aboard to replace the Expedition Two crew on the Space Station, who will be returning to Earth aboard Discovery after a five-month stay on the Station

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.

JSC2006-E-32682 (3 Aug. 2006) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and landing suits, astronauts Patrick G. Forrester (left) and Frederick W. (Rick) Sturckow, STS-117 mission specialist and commander, respectively, participate in a training session in the high fidelity mockup/trainers in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center. Trainer Robert H. Tomaro assisted Forrester and Sturckow.

PHOTO DATE: 09-24-10LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, CCTIISUBJECT: STS-133 crew during CCTII PRL IN/EG 91020 training

Engineers and technicians at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston are testing the spacesuit astronauts will wear in the agencys Orion spacecraft on trips to deep space. On June 22, 2017, members of the Johnson team participated in a Vacuum Pressure Integrated Suit Test to verify enhancements to the suit will meet test and design standards for the Orion spacecraft. During this test, the suit is connected to life support systems and then air is removed from Johnsons 11-foot thermal vacuum chamber to evaluate the performance of the suits in conditions similar to a spacecraft. The suit will contain all the necessary functions to support life and is being designed to enable spacewalks and sustain the crew in the unlikely event the spacecraft loses pressure. Part of Batch images transfer from Flickr.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-107 crew practice emergency egress from the launch pad during a simulated launch countdown, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. 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..

STS-34 crewmembers sit in M1-13 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) during emergency egress training at KSC's shuttle landing facility (SLF) prior to terminal countdown demonstration test (TCDT) activities. Wearing launch and entry suits (LESs), are (from left) Mission Specialist (MS) Ellen S. Baker, MS Shannon W. Lucid, Commander Donald E. Williams (right side, in back), MS Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, and Pilot Michael J. McCulley (holding headset). View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-89PC-871.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Mission Specialist Franklin Chang-Diaz waves to a member 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 Commander Kenneth Cockrell, Pilot Paul Lockhart and Mission Specialist Philippe Perrin (CNES) , and 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 on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-120 Mission Specialist Daniel Tani 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. Behind him is Mission Specialist Doug Wheelock. At the end of the mission, Tani will remain behind on the International Space Station to join the Expedition 16 crew. 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-94 Mission Commander James D. Halsell, Jr., prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Pad 39A in preparation for launch. Halsell is on his fourth space flight, having served as commander of STS-83 and pilot of both STS-74 and STS-65. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and a former SR-71 Blackbird test pilot and holds masters degrees in management and space operations. Halsell will have responsibility for the success of the mission and will operate and maintain Columbia during the Red, or second shift. He will also assist with a materials science experiment and a protein crystal growth payload during the 16-day mission. Halsell and six fellow crew members will 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the White Room, STS-104 Mission Specialist Michael L. Gernhardt (center) talks to closeout crew members before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis. 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. Atlantis lifted off from Launch Pad 39B on time at 5:03:59 a.m. EDT. The 10th assembly flight to the International Space Station, the primary payload on the mission is the joint airlock module, which will require two spacewalks to attach it to the Space Station. The airlock will be the primary path for Space Station spacewalk entry and departure for U.S. spacesuits, and will also support the Russian Orlan spacesuit for EVA activity

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-126 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper talks to a suit technician while getting into her harness. Behind her is the hatch for entry into space shuttle Endeavour. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - With the help of the Closeout Crew in the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins adjusts her launch suit before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. The crew is taking part in a full dress rehearsal for launch, including countdown and culminating in main engine cutoff. The rehearsal is the final part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that the crew has been involved in for three days. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Mission Specialist Drew Feustel prepares to board space shuttle Endeavour 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. Feustel last flew in 2009 on a mission to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. 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.

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 is Mission Specialist Nicole Stott. 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 the COLBERT treadmill.

JSC2007-E-08823 (7 Feb. 2007) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suit, STS-120 crewmembers enjoy a light moment as they await 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. Pictured are astronauts George D. Zamka (standing), pilot; Stephanie D. Wilson (seated, left), Scott E. Parazynski, Douglas H. Wheelock and European Space Agency's (ESA) Paolo Nespoli, all mission specialists. Also pictured (background) are United Space Alliance (USA) suit technicians Daniel E. Palmer and Andre Denard.

STS-86 crew members, including Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, at center, prepare to enter the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39A. They are being assisted by Rick Welty, at left, the United Space Alliance (USA) vehicle closeout chief, and George Schramm, USA mechanical technician

JSC2004-E-42291 (24 September 2004) --- Astronaut Charles J. Camarda (left) and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, both STS-114 mission specialists, attired in training versions of the shuttle launch and entry suit, await the start of a mission training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center (JSC).

In the White Room with the closeout crew, STS-98 Pilot Mark Polansky happily undergoes final suit preparations 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-90 Pilot Scott Altman 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. Altman 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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room at Launch Pad 39A on NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a United Space Alliance suit technician ensures the proper fit of the launch-and-entry suit of STS-130 Mission Specialist Robert Behnken as he prepares to enter space shuttle Endeavour for launch. This is the second launch attempt for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 crew. The first attempt on Feb. 7 was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather. The primary payload for the STS-130 mission to the International Space Station is the Tranquility node, a pressurized module that will provide additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. The cupola resembles a circular bay window and will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Mission Specialist Steve Swanson is helped by the Closeout Crew to put on his harness. The White Room provides access into space shuttle Discovery. Swanson 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.

JSC2002-00801 (12 April 2002) --- Cosmonaut Fyodor N. Yurchikhin (left) and astronaut David A. Wolf, both STS-112 mission specialists, participate in a mission training session in one of the high fidelity trainer/mockups in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Yurchikhin represents Rosaviakosmos. STS-112 will be the 15th shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

jsc2020e016219 - At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 63 crewmembers Ivan Vagner (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (center) of Roscosmos and Chris Cassidy of NASA (right) arrive for the second day of Soyuz qualification exams March 12. They are scheduled to launch April 9 on the Soyuz MS-16 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a six-and-a-half month mission on the International Space Station...Andrey Shelepin/Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

STS-88 Mission Specialist Nancy Jane Currie is assisted with her 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. She is making her third spaceflight as the crew's flight engineer and prime operator of the Remote Manipulator System, the robotic arm

STS-93 Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) is checked out by white room closeout crew members before entering the orbiter Columbia. In the background is Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, waiting to enter 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. -- STS-103 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), in his orange launch and entry suit, is assisted by closeout crew members in the White Room before entering the orbiter. At left is United Space Alliance (USA) Orbiter Vehicle Closeout Chief Travis Thompson and USA Mechanical Technician Vinny Defranzo. The White Room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure. It provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. The mission, to service the Hubble Space Telescope, is 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

JSC2002-E-07961 (22 February 2002) --- Astronauts Kenneth D. Cockrell (left) and Paul S. Lockhart, STS-111 mission commander and pilot, respectively, wait for a photo session in a studio at Johnson Space Center (JSC). Cockrell and Lockhart are attired in training versions of the launch and entry garment.

S90-41360 (11 June 1990) --- Two crewmembers assigned to NASA's Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1)/STS-40 mission are pictured during emergency egress training in the Shuttle mockup and integration laboratory at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Seen are astronauts Sidney M. Gutierrez (left) pilot, and Bryan D. O'Connor, mission commander. Out of frame are astronauts Rhea Seddon, James P. Bagian, Tamara E. Jernigan, all mission specialists; and payload specialists Millie Hughes-Fulford and F. Drew Gaffney.

Before entering the orbiter Endeavour, STS-99 Commander Kevin Kregel shakes hands with Chris Meinert, closeout chief of the White Room closeout crew. In the background is Carlos Gillis, suit technician. The White Room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm, on the fixed service structure, that provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. STS-99, known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (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. Scheduled for liftoff at 12:30 p.m. EST, 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 Endeav

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room, STS-109 Payload Commander John M. Grunsfeld pauses during checkout of his launch and entry suit. At right is Danny Wyatt, NASA quality assurance specialist, part of the closeout crew. Behind Grunsfeld is the opened hatch of Space Shuttle Columbia. 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. -- (Left to right) STS-110 Mission Specialists Steven Smith, Jerry Ross and Rex Walheim settle into their seats aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis prior to a simulated launch countdown. The simulation is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. TCDT also includes emergency egress training and is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. Scheduled for launch April 4, the 11-day mission will feature Shuttle Atlantis docking with the International Space Station (ISS) and delivering the S0 truss, the centerpiece-segment of the primary truss structure that will eventually extend over 300 feet

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-124 Pilot Ken Ham talks with suit technicians after donning a harness over his launch and entry suit. Behind him is the hatch for entry into space shuttle Discovery. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks.

In the environmental chamber known as the white room, STS-95 Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson is prepared by closeout room crew members (left) Danny Wyatt and Dave Law (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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-81 Mission Commander Michael Baker prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39B with help from White Room closeout crew members Chris Meinert (left) and Danny Wyatt.

STS-84 Mission Specialist Carlos I. Noriega 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 with

JSC2005-E-19203 (11 May 2005) --- Astronauts Brent W. Jett Jr. (left), STS-115 commander; Daniel C. Burbank, mission specialist; and Steven G. MacLean, mission specialist representing the Canadian Space Agency, attired in training versions of the shuttle launch and entry suit, observe fellow crewmembers during an emergency egress training session in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center.

STS109-S-021 (1 March 2002) --- The STS-109 crew members wave to onlookers as they stride out from the Operations and Checkout Building, eager to get to the launch pad. They are, from front to back, Duane G. Carey (left) and Scott D. Altman (right); Nancy J. Currie, mission specialist; John M. Grunsfeld (left), payload commander, and Richard M. Linnehan (right); James H. Newman (left) and Michael J. Massimino (right), all mission specialists. On mission STS-109, the crew will capture the Hubble Space Telescope using Columbia's robotic arm and secure it on a work stand in Columbia's payload bay. Four members of the crew will perform five scheduled space walks to complete system upgrades to the telescope. Mission STS-109 is the 27th flight of the orbiter Columbia and the 108th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- (From top) STS-123 Mission Specialists Mike Foreman, Takao Doi and Garrett Reisman are in their seats in space shuttle Endeavour to participate in a simulated launch countdown. The countdown is the culmination of the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. Endeavour is targeted to launch at 2:28 a.m. EDT March 11 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.

At the 195-foot level on Launch Pad 39B, STS-93 Mission Specialist Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) leads Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), along the yellow-painted path toward the emergency slidewire basket. As part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities, they are participating in an emergency egress exercise, along with other crew members Commander Eileen M. Collins and Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby. Collins is the first woman to serve as a Shuttle commander. The crew members have been taking part in the TCDT, which familiarizes them with the mission, provides training in emergency exit from the orbiter and launch pad, and includes a launch-day dress rehearsal culminating with a simulated main engine cut-off. The primary mission of STS-93 is the release of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images o

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A member of the Closeout Crew helps STS-110 Mission Specialist Rex J. Walheim with his launch and entry suit before he enters Space Shuttle Atlantis. The White Room provides entry into the cockpit area of the orbiter. This is Walheim's first 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 Walheim, 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, STS-118 Pilot Charlie Hobaugh is helped by the closeout crew with his parachute before he enters Space Shuttle Endeavour. The outer end of the orbiter access arm ends in an environmental chamber (the White Room) that mates with the orbiter and allows personnel to enter the crew compartment. With assistance, each member of the flight crew dons a parachute pack before crawling through the open hatch into the shuttle. The closeout crew also straps the astronauts into the space shuttle's crew module and takes care of any other last-minute needs that arise. Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-118 mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. Liftoff of Endeavour is scheduled at 6:36 p.m. EDT.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-108 Mission Specialist Daniel M. Tani waits in the White Room for final preparations of his 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During emergency egress from Launch Pad 39A, STS-120 Pilot George Zamka and Commander Pamela Melroy head for the slidewire baskets. The basket can carry them to a safe landing site below, if needed. The activity is part of the prelaunch terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The TCDT at NASA's Kennedy Space Center provides astronauts and ground crews an opportunity to participate in various launch preparation activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. The STS-120 mission will deliver the U.S. Node 2 module, named Harmony, aboard space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery is targeted to launch on its 14-day mission at 11:38 a.m. EDT on Oct. 23.

JSC2011-E-028479 (24 March 2011) --- NASA astronauts Rex Walheim, STS-135 mission specialist; and Doug Hurley (background), pilot, attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, participate in a training session in the Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT) in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-131 Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio prepares to enter space shuttle Discovery from the pad's White Room. The members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 crew, dressed in their launch-and-entry suits, are participating in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. TCDT includes training on the emergency exit 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. -- STS-111 Commander Kenneth Cockrell (left) and Pilot Paul Lockhart practice making a hasty exit from the 195-foot level to the slidewire baskets in the event of an emergency. They and the rest of the STS-111 crew and the 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 the Station. Launch of Endeavour is scheduled for May

JSC2011-E-026940 (11 March 2011) --- NASA astronaut Michael Fincke, STS-134 mission specialist, attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, is pictured during an ingress/egress training session in a shuttle mock-up in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Also pictured in the background are suit technicians Drew Billingsley and Tony Cost-Davis.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-112 crew heads for the Astrovan and a ride to the launch pad for a simulated countdown. From left are Mission Specialists Fyodor Yurchikhin (RSA), David Wolf and Piers Sellers; Pilot Pamela Melroy; Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus; and Commander Jeffrey Ashby. Mission STS-112 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch no earlier than Oct. 2, between 2 and 6 p.m. EDT. STS-112 is the 15th assembly mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis will be carrying the S1 Integrated Truss Structure, the first starboard truss segment, to be attached to the central truss segment, S0, and the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart A. The CETA is the first of two human-powered carts that will ride along the ISS railway, providing mobile work platforms for future spacewalking astronauts.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On their way to the white room on Launch Pad 39B to enter Space Shuttle Discovery, Commander Mark Polansky (right) and Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick are greeted by the closeout crew. The STS-116 mission crew practices for launch with a simulation of activities, from suit-up to countdown in the orbiter. 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. -- During a simulated pad emergency on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey, front left, and Pilot Eric Boe hop in a slidewire basket that would take them to a safe bunker below the pad in an unlikely emergency situation. The emergency training while aboard space shuttle Discovery is 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.

JSC2010-E-024581 (11 Feb. 2010) --- NASA astronauts Mark Kelly (left), STS-134 commander; and Gregory H. Johnson, pilot, attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, prepare for a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The STS-105 crew exits the Operations and Checkout Building, followed by the Expedition Three (E3) crew. Leading the way are (left to right) Pilot Rick Sturckow and Commander Scott Horowitz; in the second row, Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester and Daniel Barry; in the third row, E3 cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, Commander Frank Culbertson, and cosmonaut Vladimir Dezhurov. Forrester and Tyurin are both making their first space flights. On the mission, Discovery will be transporting the Expedition Three crew and several payloads and scientific experiments 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. Photo by Scott Andrews; Nikon

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The STS-127 crew members stride out of the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to head for Launch pad 39A and a scheduled 6:51 p.m. EDT liftoff on space shuttle Endeavour. Clockwise from left are Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists Julie Payette, of the Canadian Space Agency, Tom Marshburn, Dave Wolf, Tim Kopra and Christopher Cassidy, and Commander Mark Polansky. 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

The STS-96 crew exit the Operations and Checkout Building after suiting up for their practice countdown exercise as part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The TCDT also provides the crew with emergency egress training and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. Clockwise starting from the front left are Mission Specialists Tamara E. Jernigan (Ph.D.), Julie Payette, Ellen Ochoa (Ph.D.), Valery Ivanovich Tokarev; (right side) Daniel Barry (M.D., Ph.D.), Pilot Rick Douglas Husband, and Commander Kent V. Rominger. Scheduled for liftoff on May 20 at 9:32 a.m., STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying 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-led experiment

The STS-93 crew wave to onlookers as they walk out of the Operations and Checkout Building enroute to Launch Pad 39-B and liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia. In their orange launch and entry suits, they are (starting at rear, left to right) Mission Specialists Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), and Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.); Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby; Mission Specialist Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.); and Commander Eileen M. Collins. 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. 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 la

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel is helped by the closeout crew putting on his harness, which includes a parachute pack, before crawling through the open hatch into space shuttle Atlantis. 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.

JSC2008-E-018339 (27 Feb. 2008) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, astronauts Scott D. Altman (center), STS-125 commander; Gregory C. Johnson (left), pilot; and K. Megan McArthur, mission specialist, await the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center.

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.

S66-32149 (3 June 1966) --- Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (foreground), command pilot, and Eugene A. Cernan, pilot, walk up the ramp at Pad 19 during the Gemini-9A prelaunch countdown.

STS-130 TCDT - MODE 1 EGRESS

STS-106 Mission Specialist Richard A. Mastracchio is helped with his launch and entry suit in the White Room before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis. The perfect on-time liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-106 occurred at 8:45:47 a.m. EDT. On the 11-day mission to the International Space Station, 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. Landing of Atlantis is targeted for 4:45 a.m. EDT on Sept. 19

Engineers and technicians at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston are testing the spacesuit astronauts will wear in the agencys Orion spacecraft on trips to deep space. On June 22, 2017, members of the Johnson team participated in a Vacuum Pressure Integrated Suit Test to verify enhancements to the suit will meet test and design standards for the Orion spacecraft. During this test, the suit is connected to life support systems and then air is removed from Johnsons 11-foot thermal vacuum chamber to evaluate the performance of the suits in conditions similar to a spacecraft. The suit will contain all the necessary functions to support life and is being designed to enable spacewalks and sustain the crew in the unlikely event the spacecraft loses pressure. Part of Batch images transfer from Flickr.

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

Before entering the orbiter Discovery, STS-96 Mission Specialist Julie Payette, with the Canadian Space Agency, is checked out in the white room by Quality Assurance Specialist James Davis (left) and Closeout Crew Chief Travis Thompson (right). In the background, Suit Technician Carlouse Gillis checks another crew member. 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 the

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-115 crew members stride out of the Operations and Checkout Building eager to get to Launch Pad 39B and the start of their mission to the International Space Station. This is the second attempt at launch after a week's postponement due to weather and technical concerns. On the left side, front to back, are Pilot Christopher Ferguson and Mission Specialists Steven MacLean and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper. On the right side, front to back, are Commander Brent Jett and Mission Specialists Daniel Burbank and Joseph Tanner. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the co

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Following the simulated launch countdown on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 crew members are in the slidewire basket they would use during an emergency egress. The slidewire basket could propel them to a landing area below, if needed. From left are Mission Specialists John Phillips, Richard Arnold and Koichi Wakata. The practice egress is part of the prelaunch preparation known as Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The TCDT also includes equipment familiarization. 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.

In the White Room, STS-97 Pilot Michael Bloomfield (center) prepares for entry into Space Shuttle Endeavour with the help of the Closeout Crew, (left to right) Al Schmidt, Travis Thompson and Mike Birkenseher. Space Shuttle Endeavour is targeted to launch Nov. 30 at 10:06 p.m. EST for the six construction flight to the International Space Station. Endeavour is transporting the P6 Integrated Truss Structure that comprises Solar Array Wing-3 and the Integrated Electronic Assembly, to provide power to the Space Station. After the 11-day mission, which includes three spacewalks, it is expected to land at KSC Dec. 11 at 6:19 p.m. EST

STS-85 Payload Commander N. Jan Davis is assisted with her ascent/reentry flight suit by white room closeout crew members Dave Law (left) and Jack Burritt at Launch Pad 39A before she enters the crew cabin of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, suit technicians help space shuttle Atlantis STS-122 Mission Specialist Stanley Love with his flight and entry suit before his entry onto Atlantis' flight deck, through the hatch behind him. The exercise is part of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The TCDT is a dress rehearsal for launch and also provides astronauts and ground crews with equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. 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 t

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-113 Pilot Paul Lockhart is helped by Danny Wyatt (foreground) with his launch and entry suit before entering Space Shuttle Endeavour. Wyatt is the NASA Quality Assurance specialist with the Closeout Crew. 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 scheduled for Nov. 23 at 7:50 p.m. EST.

JSC2010-E-124264 (8 Sept. 2010) --- NASA astronauts Greg Chamitoff (foreground), Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori, all STS-134 mission specialists, don training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits in preparation for a training session in the fixed-base shuttle mission simulator (SMS) in the Jake Garn Simulation and Training Facility at NASAs Johnson Space Center. United Space Alliance suit technicians assisted the crew members.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the white room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-120 Mission Specialist Doug Wheelock dons his 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. 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.

On May 23, 2020, Demo-2 crew members Robert Behnken (right) and Douglas Hurley walk out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for transport to Launch Complex 39A during a full dress rehearsal ahead of launch. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will carry Behnken and Hurley to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program, returning human spaceflight capability to the U.S. after nearly a decade. Launch is slated for 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A, STS-99 Mission Specialists Mamoru Mohri (Ph.D.), who is with the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) of Japan, and Janice Voss (Ph.D.) practice emergency egress procedures in a slidewire basket. Seven slidewires, with flatbottom baskets suspended from each wire, extend from the Fixed Service Structure at the orbiter access arm level. These baskets could provide an escape route for the astronauts until the final 30 seconds of the countdown in case of an emergency. The crew is taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that provide the crew with simulated countdown exercises, emergency egress training, and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-99 is the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, which will chart a new course, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the E

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Outside the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-114 Commander Eileen Collins leads the way to the Astrovan that will transport the crew to Launch Pad 39B for a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. In the left row, from front, are Pilot James Kelly and Mission Specialists Wendy Lawrence, Charles Camarda, and Andrew Thomas. In the right row, from front, are Collins and Mission Specialists Soichi Noguchi and Stephen Robinson. Noguchi is with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 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.

STS-91 Pilot Dominic L. Gorie waves to the camera as he is prepared for entry into the Space Shuttle Discovery by Launch Pad 39A white room crew members Jean Alexander (behind Gorie) and Greg Lohning

JSC2010-E-183268 (4 Nov. 2010) --- Attired in their training versions of the shuttle launch and entry suit, STS-135 crew members listen to a briefing by a crew trainer prior to the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Pictured from the left are NASA astronauts Rex Walheim, mission specialist; Chris Ferguson, commander; Sandy Magnus, mission specialist; and Doug Hurley, pilot. STS-135 is planned to be the final mission of the space shuttle program.

NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson, left, STS-135 commander, dons his training version of a shuttle launch and entry suit before participating in a post insertion training session with pilot Doug Hurley and mission specialist Sandy Magnus in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center on Thursday, March 24, 2011, in Houston. ( NASA Photo / Houston Chronicle, Smiley N. Pool )

of 3