Astronaut Training Simulations

Images of astronauts in bright orange suits preparing for missions, engaged in training activities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, with equipment and spacecraft in the background.

STS-102 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas occupies seat 3 in orbiter Discovery, getting ready for a simulated countdown. He and the rest of the crew are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the Space Station, with Space Shuttle Discovery carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

STS-102 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas occupies seat 3 in orbiter Discovery, getting ready for a simulated countdown. He and the rest of the crew are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the Space Station, with Space Shuttle Discovery carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-131 Mission Specialist Clayton Anderson adjusts his helmet. The members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. The crew is participating in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, a dress rehearsal for launch. TCDT includes training on the emergency egress systems at the launch pad, driving practice of the M-113 armored personnel carrier and a simulated launch countdown. The crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonard, filled with resupply stowage platforms and science racks, to the International Space Station. STS-131, targeted for launch on April 5, will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Commander Michael Bloomfield settles into his seat in Space Shuttle Atlantis as he prepares for 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-123 Mission Specialist Richard Linnehan practices with tools that will be used on the mission. He and other crew members are at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a crew equipment interface test, a process of familiarization with payloads, hardware and the space shuttle. The STS-123 mission is targeted for launch on space shuttle Endeavour on Feb. 14. It will be the 25th assembly flight of the station.

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

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-117 Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester (left) and Steven Swanson take a close look at the wheel well on orbiter Atlantis, their vehicle for the mission. They and other crew members are at KSC to take part in a Crew Equipment Interface Test that allows them opportunities to become familiar with equipment and hardware for their mission. STS-117 will deliver the S3/S4 and another pair of solar arrays to the space station. The 21st shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-117 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 16.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3, STS-120 Pilot George D. Zamka makes a close inspection of the cockpit window on the orbiter Discovery. Seated next to him is Commander Pamela A. Melroy. The STS-120 crew is at Kennedy for a crew equipment interface test, or CEIT, which includes harness training, inspection of the thermal protection system and camera operation for planned extravehicular activities, or EVAs. The STS-120 mission will deliver the Harmony module, christened after a school contest, which will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules on the International Space Station. Known in technical circles as Node 2, it is similar to the six-sided Unity module that links the U.S. and Russian sections of the station. Built in Italy for the United States, Harmony will be the first new U.S. pressurized component to be added. The STS-120 mission is targeted to launch on Oct. 20. NASA/George Shelton

Technicians move mission specialist seat into place inside space shuttle Atlantis as the spacecraft is prepared for public display. The work is taking place as Atlantis sits inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-131 Commander Alan Poindexter prepares to practice driving an M-113 armored personnel carrier. An M-113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed. The crew members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The seven-member crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with resupply stowage platforms and racks, to the International Space Station aboard Discovery. Targeted for launch on April 5, STS-131 will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

STS-100 Mission Specialist Yuri V. Lonchakov climbs out of the T-38 jet aircraft at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Lonchakov, who is with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, and the rest of the crew will get ready for launch on April 19. 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. 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-127 Mission Specialist Christopher Cassidy (left) reaches for the release lever on the slidewire basket while Mission Specialist Julie Payette holds on. The crew is practicing emergency exit procedures that are part of the terminal countdown demonstration test, which concluded with a simulated launch countdown. Endeavour's STS-127 mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japanese Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. Endeavour's launch is scheduled for June 13 at 7:17 a.m. EDT.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3, STS-120 Mission Specialists Scott E. Parazynski and Paolo A. Nespoli (foreground) inspect tools they will use during the mission. Nespoli is a European Space Agency astronaut from Italy. Behind them are Mission Specialist Douglas H. Wheelock and Allison Bolinger, an EVA technician with NASA. The STS-120 crew is at Kennedy for a crew equipment interface test, or CEIT, which includes harness training, inspection of the thermal protection system and camera operation for planned extravehicular activities, or EVAs. The STS-120 mission will deliver the Harmony module, christened after a school contest, which will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules on the International Space Station. Known in technical circles as Node 2, it is similar to the six-sided Unity module that links the U.S. and Russian sections of the station. Built in Italy for the United States, Harmony will be the first new U.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley waves as he dons his launch-and-entry suit and helmet in the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Hurley is one of the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle. He is a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps with one shuttle mission under his belt -- STS-127 aboard Endeavour. STS-135 is scheduled to lift off aboard space shuttle Atlantis at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8 for a mission to the International Space Station.STS-135 will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts for the orbiting outpost. Atlantis also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment that will investigate the potential for robotically refueling existing satellites in orbit. In addition, Atlantis will return with a failed ammonia pump module to help NASA better understand the failure mechanism and improve pump designs for future systems. STS-135 will be the 33rd flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-125 Mission Specialist Mike Massimino practices using one of the cameras for the mission. The crew is at Kennedy for a crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with hardware and equipment on the mission. Atlantis is targeted to launch on the STS-125 Hubble Servicing Mission 4 on Oct. 8.

S115-E-05354 (11 Sept. 2006) --- Astronaut Christopher J. Ferguson, STS-115 pilot, sits in the starboard seat on the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Atlantis prior to docking of the two spacecraft. The subsequent docking will allow the STS-115 astronauts and the ISS Expedition 13 crew to team up for several days of key tasks in space.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Steven MacLean signals "go" for another attempt at liftoff. MacLean is with the Canadian Space Agency. The launch attempt on Sept. 8 was scrubbed due to an issue with a fuel cut-off sensor system inside the external fuel tank. This is one of several systems that protect the shuttle's main engines by triggering their shutdown if fuel runs unexpectedly low. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is donning her launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad for another attempt at liftoff. The launch attempt on Sept. 8 was scrubbed due to an issue with a fuel cut-off sensor system inside the external fuel tank. This is one of several systems that protect the shuttle's main engines by triggering their shutdown if fuel runs unexpectedly low. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-115 crew members are suiting up for their simulated launch countdown. Shown here being helped with his helmet is Pilot Christopher Ferguson. The mission crew is at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that are preparation for launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis, scheduled to take place in a window that opens Aug. 27. The TCDT has included emergency egress training as well as the simulation. During their 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-115 crew will continue construction of the station and attach the payload elements, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.

NASA Dryden's Ikhana ground crewmen Gus Carreno and James Smith load the thermal-infrared imaging scanner pallet into the Ikhana's underwing payload pod.

A technician outfits the commander and pilot seats on the flight deck of space shuttle Atlantis as the spacecraft is prepared for public display. The work is taking place as Atlantis sits inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Pilot Gregory H. Johnson checks space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay for sharp edges that could affect his work in space. The six STS-134 astronauts are participating in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), which gives them an opportunity for hands-on training with the tools and equipment they'll use in space and familiarization of the payload they'll be delivering to the International Space Station. Endeavour is targeted to launch on the STS-134 mission Feb. 27, 2011.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At the 195-foot level of Launch Pad 39B, STS-106 Pilot Scott D. Altman (left) gets into position in the slidewire basket while Commander Terrence W. Wilcutt reaches for the lever to release it. The basket is part of the emergency egress equipment from the orbiter. They and the rest of the STS-106 crew are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Activities (TCDT), which includes emergency egress training, along with opportunities to inspect their mission payload in the orbiters payload bay, and a simulated launch countdown. STS-106 is scheduled to launch Sept. 8, 2000, at 8:31 a.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39B. On the 11-day mission, the seven-member crew will perform support tasks on orbit, transfer supplies and prepare the living quarters in the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module. The first long-duration crew, dubbed “Expedition One,” is due to arrive at the Station in late fall

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-120 crew is at Kennedy for a crew equipment interface test, or CEIT. Inspecting the thermal protection system, or TPS, tiles under space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 is Mission Specialist Paolo A. Nespoli, a European Space Agency astronaut from Italy. Among the activities standard to a CEIT are harness training, inspection of the thermal protection system and camera operation for planned extravehicular activities, or EVAs. The STS-120 mission will deliver the Harmony module, christened after a school contest, which will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules on the International Space Station. Known in technical circles as Node 2, it is similar to the six-sided Unity module that links the U.S. and Russian sections of the station. Built in Italy for the United States, Harmony will be the first new U.S. pressurized component to be added. The STS-120 mission is targeted to launch on Oct. 20.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, United Space Alliance technician Loralee Woodbury monitors the lighted display in Space Shuttle Endeavour's cockpit after full powerup, the first time the orbiter has been powered up after nearly two years. Endeavour has been in its Orbiter Major Modification (OMM) period since December 2003. Engineers and technicians spent 900,000 hours performing 124 modifications to the vehicle. These included all recommended return to flight safety modifications, bonding more than 1,000 thermal protection system tiles and inspecting more than 150 miles of wiring throughout Endeavour. Eighty five of the modifications are completed, with work on the additional 39 modifications continuing throughout the next few months. Shuttle major modification periods are scheduled at regular intervals to enhance safety and performance, infuse new technology and allow for thorough inspections of the airframe and wiring of the vehicles. This was th

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus is inspecting the mid-deck of shuttle Atlantis. The four-member crew is at Kennedy participating in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), which gives them an opportunity for hands-on training with the spacecraft and familiarization of the payload they'll deliver to the International Space Station. Atlantis and its payload is being prepared for the STS-135 mission, which will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module packed with supplies and spare parts to the station. Atlantis is targeted to launch June 28, and will be the last shuttle flight for the Space Shuttle Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-115 crew members are checking the fit of their launch and entry suits before tomorrow's simulated launch countdown. In the chair is Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner. The simulation is the culmination of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The crew is getting ready for their launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis, scheduled to take place in a window that opens Aug. 27. During the 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-115 crew will continue construction of the station and install their cargo, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the white room on Launch Pad 39A, Mission STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow gives a thumbs up as he prepares to enter Space Shuttle Atlantis. The STS-117 crew practices for launch with a simulation of activities, from suit-up to countdown in the orbiter during terminal countdown demonstration test activities. The STS-117 mission is No. 21 to the International Space Station. Mission payloads aboard Atlantis include the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the station. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 15.

Technicians move mission specialist seat into place inside space shuttle Atlantis as the spacecraft is prepared for public display. The work is taking place as Atlantis sits inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Ohio Senator John Glenn, at right, sits in the flight deck of the orbiter Columbia as astronaut Stephen Oswald listens to his questions regarding some of the flight equipment at the Orbiter Processing Facility 3 at Kennedy Space Center. Senator Glenn arrived at KSC on Jan. 20 to tour KSC operational areas and to view the launch of STS-89 later this week. Glenn, who made history in 1962 as the first American to orbit the Earth, completing three orbits in a five-hour flight aboard Friendship 7, will fly his second space mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery this October. Glenn is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year and will be a payload specialist aboard STS-95

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Mission Specialist Richard Arnold is ready to practice driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier used for emergency escape, if needed, from Launch Pad 39A. The crew members are at Kennedy for prelaunch preparation known as terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The training provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and a simulated launch countdown. The crew of space shuttle Discovery is targeted to launch on the STS-119 mission Feb. 12. During Discovery's 14-day mission, the crew will install the S6 truss segment and solar arrays to the starboard side of the International Space Station, completing the station's truss, or backbone.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 crew members wait to climb into the slidewire basket on Launch Pad 39B. They are taking part in emergency egress practice, part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that include a simulated countdown culminating in main engine cutoff. Mission STS-121 is scheduled to be launched July 1.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-115 crew members conclude their emergency egress procedures on Launch Pad 39B. In the foreground is Mission Specialist Steven MacLean, who is with the Canadian Space Agency. At right is Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner. At far left is Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper. The TCDT is a prelaunch preparation for the mission that is scheduled to lift off in a window opening Aug. 27. During their 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-115 crew will continue construction of the station and attach the payload elements, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-108 Pilot Mark E. Kelly undergoes suit and pre-pack fit check prior to taking part in a simulated launch countdown. Kelly and other crew members are at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include emergency exit training from the orbiter and launch pad. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Commander Charles O. Hobaugh gets settled in the cockpit of a Shuttle Training Aircraft to practice landings in preparation for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission.The Shuttle Training Aircraft is a Gulfstream II jet, modified to handle like the space shuttle. On STS-129, the crew will deliver to the International Space 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. Launch is set for Nov. 16.

NASA Astronaut Patrick Forrester is seen preparing to board the space shuttle Discovery at pad 39a on a monitor in Firing Room Four of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Discovery is scheduled to launch Tuesday, Aug., 25, 2009 at 1:36 a.m. EDT and will carry the Leonardo supply module to the International Space Station during STS-128, along with a new crew member for the station, Nicole Stott.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-115 Mission Specialists Steven MacLean (left) and Joseph Tanner are ready to release the slidewire basket on Launch Pad 39B, practicing emergency egress procedures. The activity follows a simulated launch countdown, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. The TCDT is a prelaunch preparation for the mission that is scheduled to lift off in a window opening Aug. 27. During their 11-day mission to the International Space Station, the STS-115 crew will continue construction of the station and attach the payload elements, the Port 3/4 truss segment with its two large solar arrays.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-115 Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner practices using a camera that is a mockup of one the crew will use to take photographs on-orbit. With him are Mission Specialists Steven MacLean, who represents the Canadian Space Agency, and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper. The crew is at the center for Crew Equipment Interface Test activities, which involves equipment familiarization, a routine part of astronaut training and launch preparations. The mission will deliver the second port truss segment, the P3/P4 Truss, to attach to the first port truss segment, the P1 Truss, as well as deploy solar array set 2A and 4A. Launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for late August.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Commander Steven Lindsey is helped with his helmet during suitup for a second launch attempt on Space Shuttle Discovery. The first launch attempt July 1 was scrubbed due to weather concerns and postponed 24 hours. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- During Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) activities at KSC, STS-108 Commander Dominic L. Gorie checks the windshield inside orbiter Endeavour. The CEIT provides familiarization with the launch vehicle and payload. Mission STS-108 is a Utilization Flight (UF-1), carrying the Expedition Four crew plus Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello to the International Space Station. The mission crew comprises Gorie, Pilot Mark E. Kelly and Mission Specialists Linda A. Godwin and Daniel M. Tani. The Expedition Four crew comprises Yuri Onufriyenko, commander, Russian Aviation and Space Agency, and astronauts Daniel W. Bursch and Carl E. Walz. Endeavour is scheduled to launch Nov. 29 on mission STS-108

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Mission Specialists Greg Chamitoff, left, Michael Finke and Andrew Feustel check out the camera they'll be snapping photos with in space. The six STS-134 astronauts are at Kennedy participating in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), which gives them an opportunity for hands-on training and familiarization of the payload they'll be delivering to the International Space Station.Space shuttle Endeavour is targeted to launch on the STS-134 mission Feb. 27, 2011.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-121 crew are donning their orange launch and entry suits for launch today on Space Shuttle Discovery. Here, Mission Specialist Piers Sellers adjusts his glove. Sellers is making his second space flight. The launch is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Commander Charles O. Hobaugh prepares to drive an M113 armored personnel carrier.The M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed. The crew members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission are 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 Nov. 16.

Orion Media Day takes place at Lockheed Martins Waterton facility in Littleton, Colorado on Oct. 21, 2011. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Expedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox suits up before launch. Bowersox will be making his fifth Shuttle flight. 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 at 12:58 a.m. EST.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On the Fixed Service Structure on Launch Complex 39A, space shuttle prime and backup astronaut crews plus other astronauts and ground personnel are given training on the use of the emergency pad escape system known as the slidewire. The slidewire system provides a quick escape from upper launch pad platforms in case of a serious emergency. The flight crews wear the spacesuits and other equipment to be worn during a mission, but sandbags are used to duplicate the weight of riders in the slidewire baskets during the training. The STS-1 mission, known as a shuttle systems test flight, will seek to demonstrate safe launch into orbit and safe return of the orbiter and crew and verify the combined performance of the entire shuttle vehicle -- orbiter, solid rocket boosters and external tank. STS-1 will be launched from Pad A at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 no earlier than March 1981.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During a simulated pad emergency on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Mission Specialists Michael Barratt, left, and Nicole Stott 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During emergency egress from Launch Pad 39A, STS-120 Mission Specialists Stephanie Wilson (left) and Doug Wheelock settle in the slidewire basket. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-113 Pilot Paul Lockhart shows thumbs up for launch as he finishes suiting up. Lockhart will be making his second Shuttle flight. The primary mission for the crew 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 8:15 p.m. EST.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-131 crew members practice emergency procedures at the pad. The crew members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-131 mission are participating in training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The seven-member crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with resupply stowage platforms and racks, to the International Space Station aboard Discovery. Targeted for launch on April 5, STS-131 will be the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-128 crew members get instructions about using slidewire baskets for emergency exit from the fixed service structure on Launch Pad 39A. From left are Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester, Nicole Stott, Christer Fuglesang and Jose Hernandez, Commander Rick Sturckow and Pilot Kevin Ford. The crew is at Kennedy for a launch dress rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, which includes emergency exit training and equipment familiarization, as well as a simulated launch countdown. 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a worker inside space shuttle Endeavour checks the area where the new window will be installed. Endeavour is the designated launch vehicle for the STS-127 mission. The Japanese Experiment Module's Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section, or ELM-ES, is part of the payload on the mission, targeted for launch on May 15.

JSC2010-E-043668 (25 March 2010) --- NASA astronauts Mark Kelly (background), STS-134 commander; and Andrew Feustel, mission specialist, use the virtual reality lab in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center to train for some of their duties aboard the space shuttle and space station. This type of computer interface, paired with virtual reality training hardware and software, helps to prepare crew members for dealing with space station elements.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-88 Mission Specialists James H. Newman (left) and Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev (right) hurry toward the slidewire basket at the 195-foot level of Launch Pad 39A during an emergency egress exercise. The crew are at KSC to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) which includes mission familiarization activities, emergency egress training, and the simulated main engine cut-off exercise. 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. Unity will be mated with the already orbiting Russian-built Zarya control module. The 12-day mission includes three planned spacewalks to connect power, data and utility lines and install exterior equipment

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-116 mission crew practices for launch with a simulation of activities, from crew breakfast and suit-up to countdown in the orbiter. In this photo Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick puts on his helmet before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-117 Mission Specialist John (Danny) Olivas practices photographing the orbiter Atlantis with a camera to be used on the mission. He and other crew members are at KSC to take part in a Crew Equipment Interface Test that allows them opportunities to become familiar with equipment and hardware for their mission. STS-117 will deliver the S3/S4 and another pair of solar arrays to the space station. The 21st shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-117 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 16.

An STS-102 crew member reaches for the release lever for the slidewire basket, used for emergency egress from the orbiter and pad. The crew is at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include the emergency training and a simulated launch countdown. On the horizon in the background can be seen the Vehicle Assembly Building. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, with Space Shuttle Discovery carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. In addition, the Expedition Two crew will be on the mission, to replace Expedition One, who will return to Earth with Discovery. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

NASCAR driver Ryan Newman tries out a seat of another vehicle known for speed: the orbiter Endeavour. Newman and other drivers Dale Jarrett and Jimmie Johnson were on a tour of KSC. The men are scheduled to drive in the Pepsi 400 auto race being held July 5 at the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-120 crew is at Kennedy for a crew equipment interface test, or CEIT. Giving a close inspection to space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 are Mission Specialist Stephanie D. Wilson and Commander Pamela A. Melroy. Among the activities standard to a CEIT are harness training, inspection of the thermal protection system and camera operation for planned extravehicular activities, or EVAs. The STS-120 mission will deliver the Harmony module, christened after a school contest, which will provide attachment points for European and Japanese laboratory modules on the International Space Station. Known in technical circles as Node 2, it is similar to the six-sided Unity module that links the U.S. and Russian sections of the station. Built in Italy for the United States, Harmony will be the first new U.S. pressurized component to be added. The STS-120 mission is targeted to launch on Oct. 20.

Perseid Meteor flight on Google's Gulfstream Aircraft. P.I. Peter Jenniskens, SETI Group Peter Jenniskens, SETI

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-117 Mission Specialist James Reilly practices photographing the orbiter Atlantis with a camera to be used on the mission. He and other crew members are at KSC to take part in a Crew Equipment Interface Test that allows them opportunities to become familiar with equipment and hardware for their mission. STS-117 will deliver the S3/S4 and another pair of solar arrays to the space station. The 21st shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-117 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 16.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-118 crew members look over parts of the mission payload, the S5 integrated truss, in the Space Station Processing Facility during crew equipment interface test activities. Seen here is Mission Specialist Benjamin Drew, who will be making his first space shuttle flight. The crew comprises Commander Scott Kelly, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, and Mission Specialists Dr. Dafydd Williams, Barbara Morgan, Richard Mastracchio, Tracy Caldwell and Drew. Williams is with the Canadian Space Agency. The STS-118 mission will be delivering the third starboard truss segment, the ITS S5, to the International Space Station, and a SPACEHAB Single Cargo module with supplies and equipment. Launch aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour is targeted for August.

STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, right, talks with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden atop of the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) as the space shuttle Atlantis (STS-135) rolls out of High Bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39a for its final flight, Tuesday evening, May 31, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The 3.4-mile trek, known as "rollout," will take about seven hours to complete. Atlantis will carry the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module to deliver supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International Space Station. The launch of STS-135 is targeted for July 8.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Floridas Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll sits in the commanders seat on the flight deck of space shuttle Atlantis during a tour of Kennedy Space Centers Orbiter Processing Facility-1.The tour coincided with Carrolls visit to Kennedy for a meeting with Cabana. Atlantis is being prepared for public display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in 2013. The groundbreaking for Atlantis exhibit hall took place in January Atlantis is scheduled to be moved to the visitor complex in November.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During power-up of the orbiter Discovery in the Orbiter Processing Facility, a technician (left) looks at the circuit breaker lights in the cabin. Discovery has been undergoing Orbiter Major Modifications in the past year, ranging from wiring, control panels and black boxes to gaseous and fluid systems tubing and components. These systems were deserviced, disassembled, inspected, modified, reassembled, checked out and reserviced, as were most other systems onboard. The work includes the installation of the Multifunction Electronic Display Subsystem (MEDS) - a state-of-the-art glass cockpit.”

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-120 Mission Specialist Daniel Tani is ready for his turn at driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier. The M-113 is part of emergency exit procedures from Launch Pad 39A. Behind him, at right, is Mission Specialist Paolo Nespoli, who represents the European Space Agency. 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-116 Commander Mark Polansky checks the cockpit window as part of a Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT). A CEIT allows astronauts to become familiar with equipment and hardware they will use on the mission. STS-116 will be mission 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. -- The STS-116 mission crew practices for launch with a simulation of activities, from crew breakfast and suit-up to countdown in the orbiter. In this photo Mission Specialist Robert Curbeam has his helmet adjusted before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Launch Pad 39B, NASA Flight Crew Systems engineers Ben Van Lear (left) and Brad Poffenberger hand a stowage container to a technician inside Space Shuttle Discovery for installation, a final step in launch preparations. Launch of Discovery on its Return to Flight mission STS-114 is set for July 13, just days away. The container holds consumables that will be unpacked by the crew once on orbit and will be used to return miscellaneous used products back to Earth. During its 12-day mission, Discoverys seven-person crew will test new hardware and techniques to improve Shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies to the International Space Station. Discoverys payloads include the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier (LMC), and the External Stowage Platform-2 (ESP-2). Raffaello will deliver supplies to the International Space Station including food, clothing and research equipment. The LMC

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-107 crew members check out equipment in the SHI Research Double Module (SHI/RDM), part of the payload on the mission. Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla (left) holds a data manual while Mission Specialist David Brown stretches out on the floor to get a closer look. The crew is taking part in Crew Equipment Interface Test activities, which include equipment and payload familiarization. A research mission, STS-107 also will carry the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments. STS-107 is scheduled to launch July 19, 2002

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith (left) and Jerry L. Ross (right) get ready to climb out of the slidewire basket, part of emergency egress equipment on the launch pad.. The crew is taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which also include a simulated launch countdown, 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.

S119-E-006569 (18 March 2009) --- Astronaut Joseph Acaba, STS-119 mission specialist, uses a communication system on the aft flight deck of Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - STS-125 Commander Scott Altman is ready to practice driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier. The crew members of space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission will each practice driving the M-113 in turn as part of their 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 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for a dress launch rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. It 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. The STS-125 mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis to service NASAs Hubble Space Telescope is targeted to launch Oct. 10.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 Launch Attempt. Joe Acaba, Chief of the Astronaut Office, monitors the countdown of the attempted launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Dragon spacecraft on NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev onboard, Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in firing room four of the Launch Control Center at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission is the sixth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. Todays launch attempt was scrubbed due to an issue with ground systems. The next launch attempt is targeted for 12:34am ET on Thursday, March 2.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-113 Commander James Wetherbee 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Complex 39, STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow signals that he is ready to practice driving an M-113 armored personnel carrier. The astronauts on the STS-117 crew are participating in M-113 armored personnel carrier training during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities, a dress rehearsal for their launch, targeted for March 15. The M-113 could be used to move the crew away from the launch pad quickly in the event of an emergency. The TCDT also includes pad 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After their arrival at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the STS-122 crew heads for a microphone to greet the media waiting for them. From left are Commander Steve Frick, Pilot Alan Poindexter, and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Rex Walheim, Hans Schlegel, Stanley Love and Leopold Eyharts. Eyharts and Schlegel represent 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-110 Pilot Stephen Frick waits inside the M-113 armored personnel carrier to begin training on driving the vehicle, which is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. TCDT includes emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. The TCDT 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, STS-121 crew members look at panel assemblies that hold laptop computers in place while in space. From left are Pilot Mark E. Kelly, Commander Steven W. Lindsey, and Mission Specialists Piers J. Sellers, Michael E. Fossum, Lisa Nowak and Stephanie Wilson. STS-121 is the second Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. During CEIT, the crew has an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the orbiter and equipment they will be working with on their mission. Mission STS-121 is scheduled to launch aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis in July.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The crew of mission STS-115 arrives at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility to prepare for a second launch attempt on Sept. 6 to the International Space Station. Seen here is Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper (center) shaking hands with Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach as Mission Specialist Joe Tanner looks on. Mission managers cancelled Atlantis' first launch campaign due to a lightning strike at the pad and the passage of Tropical Storm Ernesto along Florida's east coast. The mission will deliver and install the 17-and-a-half-ton P3/P4 truss segment to the port side of the integrated truss 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 thr

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the STS-107 crew practice emergency egress from the launch pad, reaching for the release lever of the slidewire basket they are in. 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..

STS043-14-034 (2-11 Aug 1991) --- Astronaut James C. Adamson is pictured executing Development Test Objective (DTO) 1208, Space Station Cursor Control Device Evaluation II and Advanced Applications. The purpose of the Cursor Control Device Experiment is to evaluate human performance under space flight conditions of cursor control devices which are similar to the devices under consideration for use onboard space station computers. Here, the mission specialists uses a thumbball/handgrip control device. Each crewmember evaluated the different types of cursor control devices during the nine-day STS-43 mission. Other methods of cursor control evaluated were the built-in trackball, a side mounted trackball with restraints and an optical pad with mouse.

S128-E-007940 (7 Sept. 2009) --- NASA astronaut Rick Sturckow, STS-128 commander, adds his crews patch to the growing collection, in the Unity node, of insignias representing crews who have worked on the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Waiting his turn at driving the M-113 armored personnel carrier is STS-110 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim. In the background, right, is Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa. The driving is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. The TCDT 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 Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-119 Mission Specialist Steve Swanson (right) practices using the camera to be used on the mission while Mission Specialists Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold look on. The crew is at Kennedy for a Crew Equipment Interface Test that provides experience handling tools, equipment and hardware they will use on the mission. On the STS-119 mission, space shuttle Discovery will carry the S6 truss segment to complete the 361-foot-long backbone of the International Space Station. The truss includes the fourth pair of solar array wings and electronics that convert sunlight to power for the orbiting laboratory. Discovery is targeted for launch on Feb. 12, 2009.

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley, left, and Bob Behnken watch the liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft on the uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test, Jan. 19, 2020, inside Firing Room 4 in Kennedy Space Centers Launch Control Center. The test demonstrated the spacecrafts escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley prepares to disembark from a T-38 jet.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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As part of emergency escape training at Launch Pad 39A, the STS-100 crew climb into slidewire baskets that, during a real emergency, would propel them off the Fixed Service Structure to a landing area away from the pad. The crew is taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities that also include a simulated launch countdown. The mission is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the 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. Launch of mission STS-100 is scheduled for April 19 at 2 41 p.m. EDT from Launch Pad 39A

STS-102 Mission Specialist Paul Richards has his launch suit checked for fit in the Operations and Checkout Building. The crew is at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency exit from the launch pad and a simulated launch countdown. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. In addition, the Expedition Two crew will be on board, heading to the Space station for a four-month tenure. The Expedition One crew will return to Earth aboard Discovery. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-116 Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick makes some remarks to media representatives following his arrival at KSC aboard a T-38 jet aircraft for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on Dec. 7. On the mission, the STS-116 crew will deliver truss segment, P5, to the International Space Station and begin the intricate process of reconfiguring and redistributing the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. The P5 will be mated to the P4 truss that was delivered and attached during the STS-115 mission in September.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Expedition 4 crew member Yuri Onufrienko gets ready to practice driving an M-113 armored personnel carrier. He and other crew members are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency exit from the launch pad and a simulated launch countdown. Onufrienko will be transported to the International Space Station on mission STS-108, targeted for launch Nov. 29 on Space Shuttle Endeavour. The Expedition 4 crew will spend more than five months living and working on the permanently manned Station and return on mission STS-111 in May 2002

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

STS-102 Mission Specialist Paul Richards has his launch suit checked for fit in the Operations and Checkout Building. The crew is at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency exit from the launch pad and a simulated launch countdown. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying as payload the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. In addition, the Expedition Two crew will be on board, heading to the Space station for a four-month tenure. The Expedition One crew will return to Earth aboard Discovery. Launch on mission STS-102 is scheduled for March 8

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-123 Mission Specialist Garrett Reisman waits in the jet aircraft that will return him Houston. He and the other STS-123 crew members took part in a terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, in preparation for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour scheduled on March 11. The TCDT enables astronauts and ground crews to participate in various countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. On the STS-123 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 system, Dextre

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Making his fourth Shuttle flight, STS-110 Mission Specialist Steven L. Smith gives a thumbs up for the launch scheduled for 4 40 p.m. EDT. STS-110 is the 13th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying the S0 Integrated Truss Structure and Mobile Transporter (MT). On the 11-day mission, the mission features four spacewalks to attach the S0 truss, which will become the backbone of the Space Station, to the U.S. Lab, 'Destiny.' The MT, a space 'railcar,' is attached to the truss segment and will make its debut run during the flight

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the STS-121 crew poses for a photo. From left are Pilot Mark Kelly, Mission Commander Steven Lindsey, and Mission Specialists Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson, Piers Sellers and Michael Fossum. The STS-121 crew is at KSC to take part in Crew Equipment Interface Test activities, which provide hands-on experience with equipment they will use on-orbit. STS-121, the second Return to Flight mission, is targeted for launch in a lighted planning window of Sept. 9 to Sept. 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-116 Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham is helped by the closeout crew in the White Room to secure her launch suit before climbing into Space Shuttle Discovery. Behind her is Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm that extends from the fixed service structure and provides entry into the orbiter. The first launch attempt of STS-116 on Dec. 7 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. This second launch attempt is scheduled for 8:47 p.m. This is Discovery's 33rd mission and the first night launch since 2002. The 20th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-116 carries another truss segment, P5. It will serve as a spacer, mated to the P4 truss that was attached in September. After installing the P5, the crew will reconfigure and redistribute the power generated by two pairs of U.S. solar arrays. Landing is expected Dec. 21 at KSC.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - STS-112 Mission Specialist David Wolf adjusts his helmet during suit check, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. The TCDT also includes emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. The mission 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. The S1 will be attached to the central truss segment, S0, during the 11-day mission. Wolf will be undertaking three EVAs scheduled during the mission. STS-112 is his third Shuttle flight.

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