NASA Astronauts Preparation

Images of astronauts in blue flight suits at Kennedy Space Center, engaged in media events before their space missions, highlighting their roles in upcoming launches and scientific research.

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After the mission STS-122 crew's arrival at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Mission Specialist Stanley Love is introduced during a media opportunity on the Shuttle Landing Facility. The crew's arrival signals the imminent launch of space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122. The launch countdown begins at 7 p.m. Dec. 3. Launch is scheduled for 4:31 p.m. EST on Dec. 6. Atlantis will carry the Columbus Lab, Europe's 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-129 Commander Charles O. Hobaugh disembarks from a T-38 jet at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The six astronauts for space shuttle Atlantis STS-129 mission have arrived at Kennedy for their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test.Additional training associated with the test was done last month, but the simulated countdown was postponed because of a scheduling conflict with the launch of NASAs Ares I-X test rocket. Launch of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is set for Nov. 16. On STS-129, the crew will deliver to the station two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Mission Specialist Andrew Fuestel is photographed after his arrival. The STS-134 crew members landed at about 9 a.m. EDT for final preparations for Endeavour's liftoff to the International Space Station scheduled for Monday, May 16 at 8:56 a.m. Endeavour and its crew will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Mission Specialist Doug Wheelock gets ready in the driver's seat for driving practice in the M-113 armored personnel carrier. The M-113 is part of emergency exit procedures from Launch Pad 39A. Behind him, at right, is Pilot George Zamka. The training is part of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities the crew is undertaking at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The TCDT also includes 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. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Pilot Gregory C. Johnson discusses his role in the mission for the media. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities before launching on space shuttle Atlantis 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 simulated launch countdown. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 10.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mission Specialist Rex Walheim pauses for a photo during M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Behind Walheim is Pilot Doug Hurley. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the launch pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. The STS-135 crew is at Kennedy to participate in a launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will

STS-90 Mission Specialist Dafydd (Dave) Williams with the Canadian Space Agency poses in the cockpit of his T-38 jet trainer aircraft after arriving at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility along with other members of the crew from NASAs Johnson Space Center to begin Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide crews with the opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. Columbia is targeted for launch of STS-90 on April 16 at 2:19 p.m. EDT and will be the second mission of 1998. The mission is scheduled to last nearly 17 days

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 Pilot Eric Boe stands in front of a T-38 training jet that he flew from Houston to the Shuttle Landing Facility. In the days leading up to their launch to the International Space Station, Boe and his crew members will check the fit of their launch-and-entry suits, review launch-day procedures, receive weather briefings and remain medically quarantined to prevent sickness.Scheduled to lift off Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m., Discovery and 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 orbiting outpost.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialist Lee Morin arrives at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility to prepare for launch April 4. The mission will be his first Space Shuttle flight. Mission STS-110 is the 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station. During four planned spacewalks, crew members will install the S0 Integrated Truss Structure (ITS), centerpiece of the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), at the center of the 10-truss, girderlike structure that will ultimately extend the length of a football field on the ISS. The S0 truss will be attached to the U.S. Lab, "Destiny," on the 11-day mission

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-117 crew arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to take part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a preparation for the launch March 15 to the International Space Station. Seen here is Mission Specialist Steven Swanson in a T-38 jet aircraft. The TCDT includes emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the station.

STS-103 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.) is ready to take his turn at driving a small armored personnel carrier that is part of emergency egress training during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The tracked vehicle could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. The TCDT also provides simulated countdown exercises and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-103 is a "call-up" mission due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The other STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly, and Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith , John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), plus Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-François Clervoy of France, who are with the European Space Agency. The mission is targeted

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

STS-86 Mission Specialist Vladimir Georgievich Titov grins broadly for photographers after he and other crew members arrive at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. This will be the fifth spaceflight, second aboard the Space Shuttle, for Russian cosmonaut Titov, who is a colonel in the Russian Air Force. On STS-86, he will become the first non-American astronaut to perform a Shuttle-based extravehicular activity or spacewalk. STS-86 will be the seventh docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir, on which Titov spent a then-record 366 consecutive days in space in 1987-88. STS-86 is targeted for a Sept. 25 launch aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-107 Pilot William "Willie" McCool smiles at spectators as he arrives at KSC for pre-launch preparations. STS-107 is a mission devoted to research and will include more than 80 experiments that will study Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety. The payload on Space Shuttle Columbia includes FREESTAR (Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research) and the SHI Research Double Module (SHI/RDM), known as SPACEHAB. Experiments on the module range from material sciences to life sciences. The crew includes Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut. Other crew members are Commander Rick Husband, Payload Commander Michael Anderson and Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, David Brown and Laurel Clark. Launch of Columbia is targeted for Jan. 16 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

STS-130 TCDT - M113 TRAINING

STS-89 Pilot Joe Edwards Jr. arrives at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility in one of the T-38 aircraft traditionally flown by the astronaut corps. The eight STS-89 crew members flew into KSC from Johnson Space Center as final preparations are under way toward the scheduled liftoff on Jan. 22 of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on the eighth mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, STS-89 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will transfer to the space station, succeeding David Wolf, M.D., who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour. Dr. Thomas will live and work on Mir until June. STS-89 is scheduled for a Jan. 22 liftoff at 9:48 p.m. EST

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-127 Mission Specialist Tom Marshburn is greeted by the media and others on hand to welcome the STS-127 crew to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Marshburn and the other members of the crew arrived from Houston aboard a Shuttle Training Aircraft to get ready for launch on space shuttle Endeavour on June 13. Marshburn, a former NASA flight surgeon, is making his first shuttle flight. The STS-127 mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility, or JEM-EF, and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section, or ELM-ES, to the space station on STS-127.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The crew of mission STS-115 arrives at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to prepare for launch on Aug. 27 to the International Space Station. Seen here is Mission Specialist Daniel Burbank, who will be making his second flight on the shuttle. The mission will deliver and install the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the orbital outpost. 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. STS-115 is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough poses for a portrait in the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV), an engineering concept used to test new technologies for future surface and deep-space exploration vehicles, Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-96 Commander Kent V. Rominger gets a hands-on look at equipment at the SPACEHAB Facility. Members of the STS-96 crew are taking part in a bench review at SPACEHAB as part of familiarization activities for their upcoming mission. The crew also includes Pilot Rick Husband and Mission Specialists Ellen Ochoa, Tamara E. Jernigan, Daniel Barry, Julie Payette and Valery Ivanovich Tokarev. Payette is with the Canadian Space Agency and Tokarev with the Russian Space Agency. Mission STS-96 is the second flight in construction of the International Space Station and will include the SPACEHAB. The 10-day mission is targeted for launch on May 24, 1999, at Launch Pad 39B

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The crew members for the STS-126 mission arrive at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for launch. Commander Chris Ferguson greets the media and introduces the rest of the crew. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and important repair work and will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:55 p.m. EST Nov. 14.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Pilot Steve Fossett has landed the Virgin Atlantic Airways GlobalFlyer aircraft at NASA Kennedy Space Centers Shuttle Landing Facility. The aircraft is being relocated from Salina, Kan., to the Shuttle Landing Facility to begin preparations for an attempt to set a new world record for the longest flight made by any aircraft. An exact takeoff date for the record-setting flight has not been determined and is contingent on weather and jet-stream conditions. The window for the attempt opens in mid-January, making the flight possible anytime between then and the end of February. NASA agreed to let Virgin Atlantic Airways use Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility as a takeoff site. The facility use is part of a pilot program to expand runway access for non-NASA activities.

After landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet aircraft, STS-99 Pilot Dominic Gorie stands ready to prepare for the second launch attempt of Endeavour Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39A. The earlier launch scheduled for Jan. 31 was scrubbed due to poor weather and a faulty Enhanced Master Events Controller in the orbiter's aft compartment. Over the next few days, the crew will review mission procedures, conduct test flights in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and undergo routine preflight medical exams. STS-99 is the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, which will 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. Landing is expected at KSC on Feb. 22 at 4:36 p.m. EST

STS-131 TCDT - CREW ARRIVAL

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, STS-114 Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson is getting ready to practice driving an M-113, an armored personnel carrier that is used for speedy departure from the launch pad in an emergency. 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. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Pilot Tony Antonelli participates in a question-and-answer session with media representatives. The crew is at Kennedy for their Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. TCDT provides each shuttle crew and launch team the opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-132 mission, the six-member 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 aboard space shuttle Atlantis. The ICC is an unpressurized flat bed pallet and keel yoke assembly used to support the transfer of exterior cargo from the shuttle to the space station. The MRM-1, known as Rassvet, is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia and will be permanently attached to the Earth-facing po

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-129 Mission Specialist Randy Bresnik disembarks from a T-38 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission have arrived at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test.Launch of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for November.

STS-96 Commander Kent V. Rominger arrives at the Shuttle Landing Facility in a T-38 jet aircraft. The STS-96 crew are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The TCDT provides the crew with simulated countdown exercises, emergency egress training, and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. Mission STS-96, which is targeted for launch on May 20 at 9:32 a.m., 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. Others in the STS-96 crew are Pilot Rick Douglas Husband, and Mission Specialists Ellen Ochoa (Ph.D.), Tamara E. Jernigan (Ph.D.), Daniel Barry (M.D., Ph.D.), Julie Payette and Valery Ivanovich Tokarev. Payette represents the Canadian Space Agency and Tokarev the Russian Space Agency

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-100 Mission Specialist Yuri V. Lonchakov stands near Launch Pad 39A to greet family and friends. Lonchakov is with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency. The crew is at KSC to complete final flight plan reviews in anticipation of launch. The 11-day mission to the International Space Station will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet/Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator system and the UHF Antenna, and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello. The mission includes two planned spacewalks for installation of the SSRMS. The mission is also the inaugural flight of the MPLM Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply/return stowage platforms. Liftoff on mission STS-100 is scheduled at 2:41 p.m. EDT April 19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-113 Mission Specialist Michael Lopez-Alegria arrives at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include a simulated launch countdown. 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. Also onboard Space Shuttle Endeavour will be the Expedition 6 crew who will replace Expedition 5, returning to Earth after 4 months. The STS-113 launch is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2002.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-111 Pilot Paul Lockhart sits in the T-38 jet aircraft for his return to Houston. The STS-111 and Expedition 5 crews have completed Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that include emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. Expedition 5 will travel to the International Space Station on mission STS-111 as the replacement crew for Expedition 4, who will return to Earth aboard the orbiter. Mission STS-111 is known as Utilization Flight 2, carrying supplies and equipment in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo to the International Space Station. The payload also includes the Mobile Base System, which will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, or MSS, and a replacement wrist/roll joint for Canadarm 2. The mechanical arm will then have the capability to "inchworm" from the U.S. Lab Destiny to the MSS and travel along the truss to work sites. Launch is scheduled for May 30,

STS-130 TCDT - M113 TRAINING

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission crew members arrive in T-38 training jets at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. Pilot Kevin Ford is seen here.The astronauts will be taking part in terminal countdown demonstration test activities that include equipment familiarization and emergency egress training, and will culminate in a simulated launch countdown aboard Discovery. The mission will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Launch of Discovery is targeted for late August.

STS-92 Mission Specialist Jeff Wisoff happily anticipates his chance to drive the M-113 he is in. Behind him are Commander Brian Duffy (left) and Mission Specialist Leroy Chiao, along with other crew members. Part of emergency egress training during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities, the tracked vehicle could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. The TCDT also provides simulated countdown exercises and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiters payload bay. STS-92 is scheduled to launch Oct. 5 at 9:30 p.m. EDT on the fifth flight to the International Space Station. It will carry two elements of the Space Station, the Integrated Truss Structure Z1 and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. The mission is also the 100th flight in the Shuttle program

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-122 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim takes time out from driving practice of the M-113 armored personnel carrier to pose for a photo as Mission Specialist Stanley Love, behind him, takes a photo of his own. The practice near Launch Pad 39B is part of training on emergency egress procedures. An M-113 will be available to transport the crew to safety in the event of a contingency on the pad before their launch. The crew is participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, a standard part of launch preparations. 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 European Space Agency's Columbus module to the International Space Station. Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to U.S. Node 2, called Harmony, and will expand the research facilities aboard the s

STS-85 Commander Curtis L. Brown, Jr. poses in the cockpit of his T-38 jet trainer aircraft at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) after his arrival with the rest of the flight crew from NASAs Johnson Space Center to begin final preparations for the STS-85 mission. The other crew members are Pilot Kent V. Rominger, Payload Commander N. Jan Davis, Mission Specialist Robert L. Curbeam, Jr., Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson and Payload Specialist Bjarni V. Tryggvason. The primary payload aboard the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery for the 11-day space flight is the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-2 (CRISTA-SPAS-2). Other STS-85 payloads include the Manipulator Flight Demonstration (MFD), and Technology Applications and Science-1 (TAS-1) and International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker-2 (IEH-2) experiments

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-100 Mission Specialist Yuri V. Lonchakov stands near Launch Pad 39A to greet family and friends. Lonchakov is with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency. The crew is at KSC to complete final flight plan reviews in anticipation of launch. The 11-day mission to the International Space Station will deliver and integrate the Spacelab Logistics Pallet_Launch Deployment Assembly, which includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator system and the UHF Antenna, and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello. The mission includes two planned spacewalks for installation of the SSRMS. The mission is also the inaugural flight of the MPLM Raffaello, carrying resupply stowage racks and resupply_return stowage platforms. Liftoff on mission STS-100 is scheduled at 2 41 p.m. EDT April 19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Mission Specialist Mike Massimino discusses his role in the mission for the media. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities before launching on space shuttle Atlantis 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 simulated launch countdown. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 10.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-134 Mission Specialist Michael Fincke listens to Commander Mark Kelly address the media on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. While at Kennedy, space shuttle Endeavour's crew will participate in a launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training in preparation for the upcoming STS-134 mission. Endeavour and its six STS-134 crew members 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. Launch is targeted for April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-130 Pilot Terry Virts familiarizes himself with the release mechanism of a slidewire basket during training on the emergency exit system at the pad. The system includes seven baskets suspended from seven slidewires that extend from the fixed service structure to a landing zone 1,200 feet west of the pad.The crew members of space shuttle Endeavour's upcoming mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The primary payload on STS-130 is the International Space Station's Node 3, Tranquility, a pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. Endeavour's launch is targeted for Feb. 7.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 Mission Specialist Steve Bowen arrives on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway aboard a T-38 jet. In the days leading up to their launch to the International Space Station, Bowen and his crew members will check the fit of their launch-and-entry suits, review launch-day procedures, receive weather briefings and remain medically quarantined to prevent sickness. Bowen replaces astronaut Tim Kopra, who was injured in a bicycle accident in January 2011. This will be the second launch attempt for Discovery's crew, following a scrub in November 2010 due to a hydrogen gas leak at the ground umbilical carrier plate (GUCP) as well as modifications to the external fuel tank's intertank support beams, called stringers.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 Ro

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-132 Commander Ken Ham addresses media representatives during a question-and-answer session. The crew is at Kennedy for their Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. TCDT provides each shuttle crew and launch team the opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. On the STS-132 mission, the six-member 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 aboard space shuttle Atlantis. The ICC is an unpressurized flat bed pallet and keel yoke assembly used to support the transfer of exterior cargo from the shuttle to the space station. The MRM-1, known as Rassvet, is the second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia and will be permanently attached to the Earth-facing port of t

STS-102 Mission Specialist Paul Richards answers a question from the media during an interview session at the slidewire basket landing near Launch Pad 39B. He and other crew members are at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which also include a simulated launch countdown. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, with Space Shuttle Discovery carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. Discovery will also be transporting the Expedition Two crew to the Space Station, to replace Expedition One, who will return to Earth with Discovery. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington arrives at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility to get ready for launch. STS-113 is the 16th American assembly flight to the International Space Station. The primary mission is bringing the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and returning 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. 11 between midnight and 4 a.m. EST.

STS-97 Pilot Mike Bloomfield arrives at the Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet aircraft. He and the rest of the crew are at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that include emergency egress training, familiarization with the payload, and a simulated launch countdown. The other crew members are Commander Brent Jett, and Mission Specialists Joe Tanner, Carlos Noriega and Marc Garneau, who is with the Canadian Space Agency. Mission STS-97is the sixth construction flight to the International Space Station. Its payload includes the P6 Integrated Truss Structure and a photovoltaic (PV) module, with giant solar arrays that will provide power to the Station. The mission includes two spacewalks to complete the solar array connections. STS-97 is scheduled to launch Nov. 30 at 10:05 p.m. EST

Date: 03-09-12Location: Ellington FieldSubject: Expedition 35 (Soyuz 33S) crew member Tom Marshburn preparing for his T-38 fligh with NASA pilot Thomas Parent.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-134 Pilot Greg H. Johnson takes time out from driving practice of the M113 armored personnel carrier to pose for a photo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. 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 space station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

STS-92 Commander Brian Duffy smiles after landing at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility in a T-38 training jet aircraft. He and the rest of the crew are at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training from the orbiter and pad, and a simulated countdown. The fifth mission to the International Space Station, STS-92 will carry the Integrated Truss Structure Z1, the first of the planned 10 trusses on the Space Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. The Z1 will allow the first U.S. solar arrays on a future flight to be temporarily installed on Unity for early power. PMA-3 will provide a Shuttle docking port for the solar array installation on the sixth ISS flight and Lab installation on the seventh ISS flight. STS-92 is scheduled to launch Oct. 5 from launch Pad 39A. It will be the 100th flight in the Shuttle program

STS-131 LAUNCH L-3 SUITED STA'S

STS-106 Pilot Scott D. Altman steps down from the T-38 jet aircraft after landing at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. He and the rest of the crew will be making pre-launch preparations for the fourth flight to the International Space Station. STS-106 is scheduled to launch Sept. 8, 2000, at 8:45 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B. On the 11-day mission, the seven-member crew will perform support tasks on orbit, transfer supplies and prepare the living quarters in the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module. The first long-duration crew, dubbed Expedition One,” is due to arrive at the Station in late fall

STS-95 Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. The STS-95 mission, targeted for liftoff at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. The mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC on Nov. 7. The other STS-95 crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-110 Pilot Stephen Frick arrives at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility to prepare for launch April 4. The mission will be his first Space Shuttle flight. Mission STS-110 is the 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station. During four planned spacewalks, crew members will install the S0 Integrated Truss Structure (ITS), centerpiece of the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), at the center of the 10-truss, girderlike structure that will ultimately extend the length of a football field on the ISS. The S0 truss will be attached to the U.S. Lab, "Destiny," on the 11-day mission

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis STS-122 Mission Specialist Stanley Love takes part in a press conference at the slidewire basket landing on Launch Pad 39A. The STS-122 crew is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities, a standard part of launch preparations. 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 European Space Agency's Columbus module to the International Space Station. Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to U.S. Node 2, called Harmony, and will expand the research facilities aboard the station. Launch is targeted for Dec. 6.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 39A during a question and answer session with the media, STS-92 Commander Brian Duffy talks about the mission. Duffy and the rest of the crew are at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that provide emergency egress training, opportunities to inspect the mission payload, and a simulated countdown. The slidewire basket area is a landing site for the crew if they have to use the slidewire baskets to exit the orbiter on the pad in an emergency. STS-92 is scheduled to launch Oct. 5 at 9:38 p.m. EDT on the fifth flight to the International Space Station. It will carry two elements of the Space Station, the Integrated Truss Structure Z1 and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. The mission is also the 100th flight in the Shuttle program

STS-100 Mission Specialist Yuri Lonchakov arrives at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. He and the rest of the crew Commander Kent V. Rominger, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby and Mission Specialists Chris Hadfield, Scott E. Parazynski, John L. Phillips, and Umberto Guidoni are going to be taking part in emergency escape training at the pad, equipment familiarization and 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 Stations exterior. Launch of mission STS-100 is scheduled for Apr

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori, STS-134 Mission Specialist, is photographed after his arrival. The STS-134 crew members landed at about 9 a.m. EDT for final preparations for Endeavour's liftoff to the International Space Station scheduled for Monday, May 16 at 8:56 a.m.Endeavour and its crew will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-98 Mission Commander Kenneth Cockrell speaks to the media at the Shuttle Landing Facility after the crew's arrival Sunday to complete preparations for launch. The crew also includes Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Thomas Jones, Marsha Ivins and Robert Curbeam.; STS-98 is the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the U.S. Lab Destiny, a key element in the construction of the ISS. Launch of STS-98 is scheduled for Feb. 7 at 6:11 p.m. EST

STS-132 TCDT - CREW M113 TRAINING

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39, STS-123 Commander Dominic Gorie takes time out from driving practice of the M-113 armored personnel carrier to pose for a photo. The crew members of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-123 mission will each practice driving the M-113 in turn as part of his training on emergency egress procedures. An M-113 will be available to transport the crew to safety in the event of a contingency on the pad before their launch. The STS-123 crew is at Kennedy for a full launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test or TCDT. Endeavour's seven astronauts arrived at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility in their T-38 training aircraft between 10:45 and 10:58 a.m. EST. The terminal countdown demonstration test provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. Endeavour is target

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-123 Mission Specialist Mike Foreman addresses the news media on hand for his arrival at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The crew for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-123 mission is at Kennedy for a full launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test or TCDT. Endeavour's seven astronauts arrived at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility in their T-38 training aircraft between 10:45 and 10:58 a.m. EST. The terminal countdown demonstration test provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. Endeavour is targeted to launch March 11 at 2:28 a.m. EDT on a 16-day mission to the International Space Station. On the mission, 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 syst

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The crew of mission STS-115 arrives at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to prepare for launch on Aug. 27 to the International Space Station. Seen here are Commander Brent Jett (left) and Mission Specialist Daniel Burbank. Jett will be making his fourth flight on the shuttle and Burbank is second. The mission will deliver and install the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment to the port side of the integrated truss system on the orbital outpost. 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. STS-115 is expected to last 11 days and includes three scheduled spacewalks.

NASA/SpaceX Crew-6 Astronauts Arrival. Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev speaks to members of the news media during crew arrival for NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission at Kennedy Space Centers Launch and Landing Facility in Florida on Feb. 21, 2023. Fedyaev, along with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Woody Hoburg, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi will launch to the International Space Station aboard the Crew Dragon on a SpaceX Falcon 9. Launch is targeted for no earlier than Feb. 26 at 2:07 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A. Crew-6 is the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the station, and the seventh flight of Dragon with people as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-98 Mission Commander Kenneth Cockrell speaks to the media at the Shuttle Landing Facility after the crew's arrival Sunday to complete preparations for launch. The crew also includes Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Thomas Jones, Marsha Ivins and Robert Curbeam.; STS-98 is the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the U.S. Lab Destiny, a key element in the construction of the ISS. Launch of STS-98 is scheduled for Feb. 7 at 6 11 p.m. EST

STS-132 TCDT - CREW ARRIVAL

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus pauses for a photo during M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the launch pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. The STS-135 crew is at Kennedy to participate in a launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. Atlantis and its crew are targeted to lift off July 8, taking with them the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the

STS-88 Mission Specialist Jerry L. Ross arrives after dark at the Shuttle Landing Facility to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The TCDT provides the crew with simulated countdown exercises, emergency egress training, and opportunities to inspect their mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. Mission STS-88 is targeted for launch on Dec. 3, 1998. It is the first U.S. flight for the assembly of the International Space Station and will carry the Unity connecting module. Others in the STS-88 crew are Commander Robert D. Cabana, Pilot Frederick W. "Rick" Sturckow, Mission Specialists Nancy J. Currie and James H. Newman and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev. Ross and Newman will make three spacewalks to connect power, data and utility lines and install exterior equipment

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Commander Steven Lindsey arrives at KSC aboard a T-38 jet aircraft to get ready for launch on July 1. The launch will be the fourth for Lindsey. 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. This mission is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Astronaut John Phillips, a mission specialist for space shuttle Discovery's STS-119 mission, arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for launch. STS-119 is the 125th space shuttle flight and the 28th flight to the International Space Station. Discovery and its crew will deliver the final set of large power-generating solar array wings and integrated truss structure, S6, to the space station. The mission includes four spacewalks. Launch is scheduled for March 11 at 9:20 p.m. EDT.

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

JSC2000-E-29120 (27 November 2000) ---Astronaut Carlos I. Noriega, STS-97 mission specialist, climbs into the cockpit of a NASA T-38 jet trainer at Ellington Field. The five-member crew was minutes away from departure to Florida, where it will continue preparations for launch later this week aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The crew of space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission gathers on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center after their arrival aboard T-38 jet trainers to prepare for launch. Seen here is Mission Specialist Akihiko Hoshide, who represents the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Launch of Discovery is scheduled for 5:02 p.m. May 31. On the STS-124 mission, the crew of seven will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the STS-120 crew exits the crew transport vehicle after a successful landing aboard space shuttle Discovery. Leading the way is Commander Pamela Melroy, followed by Pilot George Zamka and mission specialist Scott Parazynski. Discovery completed the 15-day mission STS-120, with an on-time landing at 1:01:16 p.m. Wheel stop was at 1:02:07 p.m. Mission elapsed time was 15 days, 2 hours, 24 minutes and 2 seconds. Mission STS-120 continued the construction of the station with the installation of the Harmony Node 2 module and the relocation of the P6 truss.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Joining the STS-108 crew and Expedition 4 crew, cosmonaut Gennadi Padalka is ready to practice driving an M-113 armored personnel carrier. Padalka completed training in 2000 for a space flight on "Soyuz-TM" transport vehicle as a commander of an ISS contingency crew and is part of a backup crew for the Expedition 4. STS-108 is a Utilization Flight that will carry the replacement Expedition 4 crew to the International Space Station, as well as the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, filled with supplies and equipment. The l1-day mission is scheduled for launch Nov. 29 on Space Shuttle Endeavour

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of space shuttle mission STS-120 prepare for their return to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston following three days of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities. At Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, Commander Pam Melroy checks the readiness of her T-38 jet aircraft before takeoff. Melroy is the second woman to command a shuttle mission. The TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with equipment familiarization, emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. The STS-120 mission will deliver the U.S. Node 2 module, named Harmony, aboard space shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station on a 14-day mission. Discovery's launch is targeted for Oct. 23 at 11:38 a.m. EDT.

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

Near Launch Pad 39-B, STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski climbs out of the M-113, a small armored personnel carrier, that is part of emergency egress training. To his left is Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., and behind Glenn are (left to right) Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, representing the European Space Agency (ESA), Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, representing the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The tracked vehicle could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. The STS-95 crew is at KSC to participate in a Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) which also includes mission familiarization activities and a simulated main engine cut-off exercise. The other members on the mission are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown and Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson. The STS-95 mission, targeted for liftoff on Oct. 29, includes resear

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-125 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel waits for a question from the media about his role in the mission. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities before launching on space shuttle Atlantis 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 simulated launch countdown. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 10.

S95-17155 (24 Aug. 1995) --- Astronaut Kent V. Rominger sits in the forward station of a NASA T-38 jet trainer. Rominger was named last year as pilot for the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory (USML-2) mission, scheduled for next year.

STS-106 Mission Specialist Boris V. Morukov smiles upon his arrival at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. He and the rest of the crew will be making pre-launch preparations for the fourth flight to the International Space Station. STS-106 is scheduled to launch Sept. 8, 2000, at 8:45 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B. On the 11-day mission, the seven-member crew will perform support tasks on orbit, transfer supplies and prepare the living quarters in the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module. The first long-duration crew, dubbed Expedition One,” is due to arrive at the Station in late fall

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-133 Mission Specialist Tim Kopra arrives in a T-38 jet to the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-133 crew members are at Kennedy for a practice launch dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) in preparation for their upcoming mission. TCDT provides each shuttle crew and launch team with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After arrival at the Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-116 Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick poses for the media. The crew has returned to KSC for the terminal countdown demonstration test, which are prelaunch preparations that include a simulated launch countdown. Other crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Pilot William Oefelein and Mission Specialists Sunita Williams, Joan Higginbotham, Christer Fuglesang and Robert Curbeam. Fuglesang, who is from Sweden, represents the European Space Agency. The 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. -- European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter, returning from a 6-month stay on the International Space Station, relaxes in the crew quarters at Kennedy Space Center. Reiter returned to Earth with the STS-116 crew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Landing took place on Runway 15 at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility as the sun set on the shortest day of the year. During the STS-116 mission, three spacewalks attached the P5 integrated truss structure to the station, and completed the rewiring of the orbiting laboratory's power system. A fourth spacewalk retracted a stubborn solar array. Main gear touchdown was at 5:32 p.m. EST. Nose gear touchdown was at 5:32:12 p.m. and wheel stop was at 5:32:52 p.m. At touchdown -- nominally about 2,500 ft. beyond the runway threshold -- the orbiter is traveling at a speed ranging from 213 to 226 mph. Discovery traveled 5,330,000 miles, landing on orbit 204. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 20 hours, 4

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-90 Mission Specialist Dafydd (Dave) Williams with the Canadian Space Agency smiles at the media shortly after his arrival at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. The crew arrived to prepare for the launch of Columbia, scheduled for April 16 at 2:19 p.m. EDT from KSC's Launch Pad 39B. The launch of Neurolab on STS-90, which will be the second mission of 1998, is scheduled to last nearly 17 days

STS-103 Mission Specialist John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.) gets ready to take the wheel of a small armored personnel carrier that is part of emergency egress training during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The tracked vehicle could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. The TCDT also provides simulated countdown exercises and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-103 is a "call-up" mission due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The other STS-103 crew members are Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Scott J. Kelly, and Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), (Ph.D.), plus Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-François Clervoy of France, who are with the European Space Agency. The mission is target

STS029-S-002 (10 March 1989) --- Astronaut Frederick Gregory, STS-33 mission commander, prepares to fly to Florida in a NASA T-38 jet aircraft. He's part of a group of JSC personnel in various NASA aircraft, accompanying the flight crew en route to the Kennedy Space Center launch facility. The second post-Challenger flight of Discovery is scheduled for a 8:07 a.m. (EST) launch on March 13.

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

STS-98 Commander Ken Cockrell arrives at the Shuttle Landing Facility in a T-38 jet aircraft. He and other crew members Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Robert Curbeam, Thomas Jones and Marsha Ivins have returned to KSC to prepare for their launch to the International Space Station. The seventh construction flight to the Space Station, STS-98 will carry the U.S. Laboratory Destiny, a key module for space experiments. The 11-day mission includes three spacewalks to complete outside assembly and connection of electrical and plumbing lines between the laboratory, Station and a relocated Shuttle docking port. STS-98 is Cockrells fourth space flight. Launch is targeted for Feb. 7 at 6 11 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-98 Commander Ken Cockrell answers a question from the media during a briefing at Launch Pad 39A. Other crew members present are Pilot Mark Polansky, Mission Specialist Thomas Jones, Cockrell, and Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins and Robert Curbeam. All are at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. STS-98 is the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the U.S. Lab Destiny, a key element in the construction of the ISS. Launch of STS-98 is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 2:11 a.m

STS-87 Commander Kevin Kregel arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet for the final prelaunch activities leading up to the scheduled Nov. 19 liftoff. The other STS-87 crew members are Pilot Steven Lindsey; Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D.; Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan; and Winston Scott; and Payload Specialist Leonid Kadenyuk of the National Space Agency of Ukraine. STS-87 will be the fourth flight of the United States Microgravity Payload and the Spartan-201 deployable satellite

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-134 Mission Specialist Andrew Feustel listens intently to instruction during M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency exit from the pad is needed and every shuttle crew is trained on driving the vehicle before launch. Space shuttle Endeavour's six crew members are at Kennedy for the launch countdown dress rehearsal called the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) and related training. 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 space station. This is the final scheduled spaceflight for Endeavour.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-98 Commander Ken Cockrell answers a question from the media during a briefing at Launch Pad 39A. Other crew members present are Pilot Mark Polansky, Mission Specialist Thomas Jones, Cockrell, and Mission Specialists Marsha Ivins and Robert Curbeam. All are at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. STS-98 is the seventh construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the U.S. Lab Destiny, a key element in the construction of the ISS. Launch of STS-98 is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 2 11 a.m

STS-86 Commander James D. Wetherbee greets family members, friends and other well-wishers during a brief visit to Launch Pad 39A the day before the scheduled Sept. 25 liftoff of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. This will be Wetherbees fourth spaceflight. STS-86 is slated to be the seventh docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, holding an American flag to commemorate the U.S. Independence Day holiday, speaks to media at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The STS-135 astronauts arrived at Kennedy about 2:30 p.m. EDT on July 4 for final preparations for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis is scheduled to lift off on July 8 to deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station. The STS-135 mission also will fly a system to investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites and return a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

STS-102 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas answers a question from the media during an interview session at the slidewire basket landing near Launch Pad 39B. He and other crew members are at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which also include a simulated launch countdown. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, with Space Shuttle Discovery carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. Discovery will also be transporting the Expedition Two crew to the Space Station, to replace Expedition One, who will return to Earth with Discovery. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After his arrival at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-122 Mission Specialist Hans Schlegel tells the media he is grateful for the hard work and dedication of workers in getting Atlantis and Columbus ready for flight. Schlegel represents the European Space Agency. The crew's arrival signals the imminent launch of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission, at 2:45 p.m. Feb. 7. This will be the third launch attempt for the mission. Some of the tank's ECO sensors gave failed readings during propellant tanking for launch attempts on Dec. 6 and Dec. 9, subsequently scrubbing further attempts until the cause could be found and repairs made. Atlantis will carry the Columbus module, Europe's largest contribution to the construction of the International Space Station. It will support scientific and technological research in a microgravity environment. Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to the Harmony module of

STS-106 Mission Specialist Daniel C. Burbank smiles on his arrival at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. He and the rest of the crew will be making pre-launch preparations for the fourth flight to the International Space Station. STS-106 is scheduled to launch Sept. 8, 2000, at 8:45 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B. On the 11-day mission, the seven-member crew will perform support tasks on orbit, transfer supplies and prepare the living quarters in the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module. The first long-duration crew, dubbed Expedition One,” is due to arrive at the Station in late fall

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