Spacecraft Launch Preparations

Astronauts in launch suits are prepared for space missions, showcasing the high-tech environment of the White Room at the Kennedy Space Center.

PHOTO DATE: 03-23-10LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, CCTIISUBJECT: STS-133 crew during CCTII Post Insertion/Deorbit Prep training

STS119-S-012 (15 March 2009) --- Astronaut Tony Antonelli, STS-119 pilot, attired in his shuttle launch and entry suit (with harness and parachute pack), is pictured in the White Room on launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, before crawling through the open hatch into Space Shuttle Discovery. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure and provides access into the shuttle. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:43 p.m. (EDT) on March 15, 2009.

While a white room closeout crew member looks on, STS-86 Pilot Michael J. Bloomfield, at right, gets some assistance from fellow crew member, Mission Specialist Jean-Loup J.M. Chretien of the French Space Agency, CNES, before entering the Space Shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39A

PHOTO DATE: 03-23-10LOCATION: Bldg 9NW, CCTIISUBJECT: STS-133 crew during CCTII Post Insertion/Deorbit Prep training

In the environmental chamber known as the white room, STS-95 Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency, is prepared by closeout room crew members Danny Wyatt (left) and Travis Thompson (right) for entry into the Space Shuttle Discovery for his first flight into space. The STS-95 mission, targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7

For the third time, in the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-93 Commander Eileen M. Collins tries on her helmet with her launch and entry suit. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 and 22 launch attempts were scrubbed, the launch was again rescheduled for Friday, July 23, at 12:24 a.m. EDT. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. The STS-93 crew numbers five: Commander Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Steven A. Hawley (Ph.D.), Catherine G. Coleman (Ph.D.) and Michel Tognini of France, with the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Collins is the first woman to serve as commander of a shuttle mission

Assisted by suit technicians and others in the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-84 Mission Specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy dons his launch and entry suit during final prelaunch preparations. Clervoy is an astronaut with the European Space Agency. This will his second Space Shuttle flight. Clervoy and six other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis awaits liftoff on a mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-116 Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang checks the fit of his launch suit, part of the prelaunch preparations during terminal countdown demonstration test (TCDT) activities. The mission crew is at KSC for the TCDT, which includes a simulated launch countdown. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-118 Commander Scott Kelly adjusts his launch and entry suit before he enters Space Shuttle Endeavour. Kelly and the rest of the crew are taking part in a simulated launch countdown, the culmination of terminal countdown demonstration test activities. The White Room is situated at the end of the orbiter access arm and provides entry into the orbiter. TCDT activities also include M-113 training, payload familiarization and emergency egress training at the pad. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour will carry a payload including the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. STS-118 is targeted for launch on Aug. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Mission Specialist Hans Schlegel is helped with his gloves while suiting up for launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-122 mission. Schlegel represents the European Space Agency. The launch, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST, will be the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - STS-109 Mission Specialist Nancy Jane Currie is ready for launch after suiting up. Liftoff is scheduled for 6:22 a.m. EST March 1. On mission STS-109, the crew will capture the Hubble Space Telescope using the Shuttle's robotic arm and secure it on a workstand in Columbia's payload bay. Currie will be the primary arm operator. Four mission specialists will perform five scheduled spacewalks to complete system upgrades to the telescope. More durable solar arrays, a large gyroscopic assembly to help point the telescope properly, a new telescope power control unit, and a cooling system to restore the use of a key infrared camera and spectrometer unit, which has been dormant since 1999, will all be installed. In addition, the telescope's view of the Universe will be improved with the addition of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), which replaces the Faint Object Camera, the last of Hubble's original instruments. Mission STS-109 is the 27th flight of the

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

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-93 Mission Specialist Michel Tognini of France, who represents the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), waves after donning his launch and entry suit during final launch preparations for the second time. After Space Shuttle Columbia's July 20 launch attempt was scrubbed at the T-7 second mark in the countdown, the launch was rescheduled for Thursday, July 22, at 12:28 a.m. EDT. The target landing date is July 26, 1999, at 11:24 p.m. EDT. STS-93 is a five-day mission primarily to release the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which will allow scientists from around the world to study some of the most distant, powerful and dynamic objects in the universe. The new telescope is 20 to 50 times more sensitive than any previous X-ray telescope and is expected unlock the secrets of supernovae, quasars and black holes. The STS-93 crew numbers five: Commander Eileen M. Collins, Pilot Jeffrey S. Ashby, and Mission Specialists Stephen A. Hawley (Ph.D.), C

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus gives a thumbs-up after checking the fit of her launch-and-landing suit, part of final preparations for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.Atlantis and its crew are scheduled to lift off at 11:26 a.m. EDT 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. -- 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 Joan Higginbotham is suited up 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. - The STS-115 crew members are suiting up for their simulated launch countdown. Shown Shown here is Mission Specialist Daniel Burbank. 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.

STS-85 Payload Specialist Bjarni V. Tryggvason poses in the white room at Launch Pad 39A with his ascent/reentry flight suit as he prepares to enter the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery at Launch Pad 39A during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities for that mission. The primary payload aboard the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery is the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-2 (CRISTA-SPAS-2). Other payloads on the 11-day mission 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-107 Mission Specialist Laurel Clark waves to a camera out of view during final preparations of her launch and entry suit in the White Room. The environmentally controlled chamber is mated to Space Shuttle Columbia for entry into the Shuttle. The hatch is seen in the background right. 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. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:39 a.m. EST.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-104 Commander Steven W. Lindsey is helped with suit check. He and other crew members are making final preparations for launch July 12 from Launch Pad 39B. Mission STS-104 is the 10th assembly flight to the International Space Station and carries the Joint Airlock Module, which will become the primary path for spacewalk entry and departure using both U.S. spacesuits and the Russian Orlan spacesuit for EVA activity

JSC2010-E-124282 (8 Sept. 2010) --- NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff, STS-134 mission specialist, attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, prepares for a training session in the fixed-base shuttle mission simulator (SMS) in the Jake Garn Simulation and Training Facility at NASAs Johnson Space Center. United Space Alliance suit technician Daniel Palmer assisted Chamitoff.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - During suitup, STS-109 Commander Scott D. Altman gives a thumbs up for launch. Liftoff of Space Shuttle Columbia is scheduled for 6:22 a.m. EST March 1. On mission STS-109, the crew will capture the Hubble Space Telescope using the Shuttle's robotic arm and secure it on a workstand in Columbia's payload bay. Four mission specialists will perform five scheduled spacewalks to complete system upgrades to the telescope. More durable solar arrays, a large gyroscopic assembly to help point the telescope properly, a new telescope power control unit, and a cooling system to restore the use of a key infrared camera and spectrometer unit, which has been dormant since 1999, will all be installed. In addition, the telescope's view of the Universe will be improved with the addition of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), which replaces the Faint Object Camera, the last of Hubble's original instruments. Mission STS-109 is the 27th flight of the orbiter Columbia and

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-118 Commander Scott Kelly is helped with his launch gear by the closeout crew before he enters Space Shuttle Endeavour. The outer end of the orbiter access arm ends in an environmental chamber (the White Room) that mates with the orbiter and allows personnel to enter the crew compartment. With assistance, each member of the flight crew dons a parachute pack before crawling through the open hatch into the shuttle. The closeout crew also straps the astronauts into the space shuttle's crew module and takes care of any other last-minute needs that arise. Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-118 mission is the 22nd shuttle flight to the International Space Station. It will continue space station construction by delivering a third starboard truss segment, S5, and other payloads such as the SPACEHAB module and the external stowage platform 3. Liftoff of Endeavour is scheduled at 6:36 p.m. EDT.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space shuttle Atlantis STS-122 Commander Steve Frick is fully attired in his launch and entry suit, in astronaut crew quarters. The STS-122 crew is preparing for a simulated launch countdown aboard Atlantis, part of terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, activities at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The TCDT is a dress rehearsal for launch and also provides astronauts and ground crews with equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. On mission STS-122, Atlantis will deliver the Columbus module to the International Space Station. The European Space Agency's largest single contribution to the station, Columbus is a multifunctional, pressurized laboratory that will be permanently attached to U.S. Node 2, called Harmony. The laboratory will expand the research facilities aboard the station, providing crew members and scientists from around the world the ability to conduct a variety of experiments in the physical, materials and life scien

STS-92 Pilot Pamela Ann Melroy has a final check on her launch and entry suit in the White Room before entering Discovery. The White Room is an environmentally controlled area at the end of the Orbiter Access Arm that provides entry to the orbiter as well as emergency egress if needed. The arm remains in the extended position until 7 minutes 24 seconds before launch. Melroy and the rest of the crew are undertaking the fifth flight to the International Space Station for construction. Discovery carries a payload that includes the Integrated Truss Structure Z-1, first of 10 trusses that will form the backbone of the Space Station, and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter that will provide a Shuttle docking port for solar array installation on the sixth Station flight and Lab installation on the seventh Station flight. The mission includes four spacewalks for the construction activities. Discoverys landing is expected Oct. 22 at 2:10 p.m. EDT

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, the STS-109 crew practices emergency exit from the Shuttle. Leading the way to the slidewire basket is Mission Specialist James Newman, followed by Michael Massimino and Richard Linnehan. The TCDT also includes a simulated launch countdown. STS-109 is a Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission, with goals to replace Solar Array 2 with Solar Array 3, replace the Power Control Unit, remove the Faint Object Camera and install the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), install the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cooling System, and install New Outer Blanket Layer insulation. The 11-day mission will require five spacewalks to perform the tasks. Launch of STS-109 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2002

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-99 Pilot Dominic Gorie smiles during suitup in final launch preparations. Liftoff of STS-99, known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, is scheduled for 12:47 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39A. The SRTM will chart a new course to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. Besides contributing to the production of better maps, these measurements could lead to improved water drainage modeling, more realistic flight simulators, better locations for cell phone towers, and enhanced navigation safety. The mission is expected to last about 11days, with Endeavour landing at KSC Friday, Feb. 11, at 4:55 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After suiting up in his launch suit, Mission Specialist Michael Fossum gives a thumbs up for a third launch attempt on mission STS-121. The July 2 launch attempt was scrubbed due to the presence of showers and thunderstorms within the surrounding area of the launch site. 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.

STS-102 Commander James Wetherbee gets final adjustments on his launch and entry suit before heading to Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39B. This mission is Wetherbees fifth Shuttle flight. Discovery is scheduled to launch March 8 at 6 42 a.m. EST, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. In addition, three crew members Mission Specialists James Voss, Susan Helms and Russian cosmonaut Yury Usachev are the Expedition Two crew replacing Expedition One on the Station. Discovery is expected to land at KSC on March 20 at 2 02 a.m

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During suit check, Expedition 5 Commander Valeri Korzun talks to a technician. The suit check is part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities at KSC. The TCDT includes emergency egress training at the pad 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 Endeavour. Known as Utilization Flight -2, the mission includes attaching a Canadian-built mobile base system to the International Space Station that will enable the Canadarm2 robotic arm to move along a railway on the Station's truss to build and maintain the outpost. The crew will also replace a faulty wrist/roll joint on the Canadarm2 as well as unload almost three tons of experiments and supplies from the Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-111 is scheduled for May 30, 2002

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Pilot Paul Lockhart gets his helmet checked during suitup for the second launch attempt aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-111 to the International Space Station. This is Lockhart's first Shuttle flight. This mission marks the 14th Shuttle flight to the Space Station and the third Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-111 is the 18th flight of Endeavour and the 110th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program. On mission STS-111, astronauts will deliver the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, the Mobile Base System (MBS), and the Expedition Five crew to the Space Station. During the seven days Endeavour will be docked to the Station, three spacewalks will be performed dedicated to installing MBS and the replacement wrist-roll joint on the Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. Endeavour will also carry the Expedition 5 crew, who will replace Expedition 4 on board the Station. Expedition 4 crew members will return to Earth with the

STS-95 Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. tests his flight suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. The final fitting takes place prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39B. Targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, the mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 mission 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

In the environmental chamber known as the white room, an eager STS-95 Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, has his flight suit checked by closeout room crew members Danny Wyatt (left to right), Chris Meinert and Travis Thompson (foreground) for entry into the Space Shuttle Discovery for his second flight into space after 36 years. The STS-95 mission, targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7

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

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-124 Pilot Ken Ham is helped into the harness over his launch and entry suit. The White Room provides access into the shuttle. Discovery is making its 35th flight. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-103 Mission Specialist Claude Nicollier, in his orange launch and entry suit, shakes hands with NASA Quality Assurance Specialist Danny Wyatt in the White Room before entering the orbiter. Other closeout crew members are United Space Alliance (USA) Suit Technician Ray Cuevas (left) and USA Orbiter Vehicle Closeout Chief Travis Thompson. The White Room is an environmental chamber at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure. It provides entry to the orbiter crew compartment. The mission, to service the Hubble Space Telescope, is scheduled to lift off at 7:50 p.m. EST Dec. 19 on mission STS-103, servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. Objectives for the nearly eight-day mission include replacing gyroscopes and an old computer, installing another solid state recorder, and replacing damaged insulation in the telescope. Discovery is expected to land at KSC Monday, Dec. 27, at about 5:24 p.m. EST

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Pilot Alan Poindexter is suited and ready for the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-122 mission. The launch, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. EST, will be the third attempt for Atlantis since December 2007 to carry the European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission, the crew's prime objective is to attach the laboratory to the Harmony module, adding to the station's size and capabilities.

S69-34330 (13 May 1969) --- Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo 9 commander, is suited up at the Kennedy Space Center for a Countdown Demonstration Test during preparations for the scheduled Apollo 10 lunar orbit mission. The other two crewmembers are astronauts John W. Young, command module pilot; and Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot.

STS-132 LAUNCH L-0 WHITEROOM ACTIVITIES

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, members of an emergency escape training team perform a simulated evacuation exercise at Launch Pad 39A. For several days, volunteers portraying astronauts, take part in training exercises which allow teams to practice emergency response procedures, including helicopter evacuation to local hospitals. Training normally involves NASA fire rescue personnel, personnel from the Air Force's 920th Rescue Wing, and medical trauma teams from central Florida hospitals, and is required every 18 months to certify Fire Rescue and Closeout Crew personnel.

STS-85 Commander Curtis L. Brown, Jr., is assisted with his ascent/reentry flight suit by a white room crew member as he prepares to enter the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery at Launch Pad 39A during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities for that mission. The primary payload aboard the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery is the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-2 (CRISTA-SPAS-2). Other payloads on the 11-day mission 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. -- At the 195-foot level of Launch Pad 39B, STS-106 Mission Specialists (left to right) Boris V. Morukov, Daniel C. Burbank and Yuri I. Malenchenko take their seats in the slidewire basket, which is part of the emergency egress equipment. 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

S99-05616 (19 May 1999) --- AstronautsGerhard P.J. Thiele and Janet L. Kavandiawait a briefing about emergency egressprocedures during a training session at the Johnson Space Center's Systems Integration Facility. Thiele represents the European Space Agency (ESA). Other STS-99 crew members are out of frame at right.

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

STS-99 Mission Specialist Gerhard Thiele, with the European Space Agency, gets help from a suit technician in the Operations and Checkout Building, as part of flight crew equipment fit check, prior to his trip to Launch Pad 39A. The crew is taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that provide the crew with simulated countdown exercises, emergency egress training, and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-99 is the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, which will chart a new course, using two antennae and a 200-foot-long section of space station-derived mast protruding from the payload bay to produce unrivaled 3-D images of the Earth's surface. The result of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission could be close to 1 trillion measurements of the Earth's topography. Besides contributing to the production of better maps, these measurements could lead to improved water drainage modeling, more realistic flight simulators, bet

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room at Launch Pad 39B, STS-112 Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus, Ph.D., receives assistance with her spacesuit during a simulated launch countdown, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, a dress rehearsal for launch. Launch of STS-112 aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for 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, which will be attached to the central truss segment, S0, and the Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) Cart A. The CETA is the first of two human-powered carts that will ride along the ISS railway, providing mobile work platforms for future spacewalking astronauts.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Mission Specialists Dave Wolf and Christopher Cassidy share some comic moments with the Closeout Crew in the White Room. The Closeout Crew help crew members complete their suitup before entering the space shuttle. Liftoff of space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for 6:03 p.m. EDT. Today will be the sixth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The launch was scrubbed on June 13 and June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was postponed July 11, 12 and 13 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching, and lightning issues. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo labo

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, STS-110 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim has his launch and entry suit checked for fit. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide flight crews an opportunity to participate in simulated launch countdown activities. 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.

STS-102 Commander James Wetherbee has his helmet checked during suit 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

STS075-355-032 (9 March 1996) --- Payload specialist Umberto Guidoni, wearing the shuttle launch and entry garment, prepares for the de-orbit phase of the 16-day flight. Guidoni represents the Italian Space Agency (ASI). The seven member crew was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on February 22, 1996, and landed on March 9, 1996. Crew members were Andrew M. Allen, mission commander; Scott J. Horowitz, pilot; Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, payload commander; and Maurizio Cheli, European Space Agency (ESA); Jeffrey A. Hoffman and Claude Nicollier, (ESA), all mission specialists; along with Guidoni.

STS-102 Commander James Wetherbee gets final adjustments on his launch and entry suit before heading to Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39B. This mission is Wetherbees fifth Shuttle flight. Discovery is scheduled to launch March 8 at 6:42 a.m. EST, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. In addition, three crew members Mission Specialists James Voss, Susan Helms and Russian cosmonaut Yury Usachev are the Expedition Two crew replacing Expedition One on the Station. Discovery is expected to land at KSC on March 20 at 2:02 a.m

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - During a simulated pad emergency on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-134 Mission Specialists Roberto Vittori, with the European Space Agency, left, and Michael Fincke, and Pilot Greg H. Johnson check out 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 Endeavour is part of a week-long Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT).Endeavour's six crew members are targeted to launch April 19 at 7:48 p.m. EDT. They will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier-3, Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), a high-pressure gas tank, additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper and micrometeoroid debris shields to the International Space Station. This will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

JSC2002-02022 (13 November 2002) --- Astronauts Soichi Noguchi (left), STS-114 mission specialist; Edward T. Lu, Expedition Seven flight engineer; cosmonauts Yuri I. Malenchenko, Expedition Seven mission commander; and Alexander Y. Kaleri, Expedition Seven flight engineer; participate in mission training in one of the full-scale trainers in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Attired in training versions of the shuttle launch and entry suit, the four are seated on the middeck for an emergency egress training session. Noguchi represents Japans National Space Development Agency (NASDA). Malenchenko and Kaleri represent Rosaviakosmos.

JSC2007-E-48226 (28 Sept. 2007) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, astronauts Karen L. Nyberg (left), Michael E. Fossum and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Akihiko Hoshide, all STS-124 mission specialists, await the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-100 Mission Specialists John L. Phillips (left) and Chris A. Hadfield (right) move quickly toward the slidewire baskets during emergency escape training at Launch Pad 39A. The training is part of 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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the White Room on Launch Pad 39A, STS-117 Mission Specialist John "Danny" Olivas is helped by the closeout crew to secure his launch suit before climbing into Space Shuttle Atlantis. Behind Olivas is Pilot Lee Archambault. The mission to the International Space Station is scheduled to launch at 7:38 p.m. EDT. Members of the closeout crew help the astronauts don a parachute pack, strap them into the space shuttle's crew module and take care of any other last-minute needs that arise. 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 shuttle is delivering a new segment to the starboard side of the space station's backbone, known as the truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install the S3/S4 truss segment, deploy a set of solar arrays and prepare them for operation. STS-117 is the 118th space shuttle flight, the 21st flight to the station, the 28th flight for

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-111 Mission Specialist Philippe Perrin gets ready in his launch and entry suit for a simulated launch countdown at the pad. Perrin is with the French Space Agency. The simulation is part of STS-111 Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities for the STS-111 crew and Expedition 5. The payload on the mission to the International Space Station includes the Mobile Base System, an Orbital Replacement Unit and Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. The Expedition 5 crew is traveling on Endeavour to replace the Expedition 4 crew on the Station. Launch of Endeavour is scheduled for May 30, 2002.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Expedition 4 Commander Yuri Onufrienko gets help with his launch and entry suit before entering Endeavour. The main goals of the mission are to carry the Expedition 4 crew to the International Space Station as replacement for Expedition 3; carry the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello filled with water, equipment and supplies; and install thermal blankets over equipment at the base of the ISS solar wings. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001 and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 5:19 p.m. EST (22:19 GMT) Dec. 5, 2001, from Launch Pad 39B

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - STS-109 Payload Commander John M. Grunsfeld gets a final fitting on his launch and entry suit two days before launch. On mission STS-109, the seven-member crew will capture the Hubble Space Telescope using the Shuttle's robotic arm and secure it on a workstand in Columbia's payload bay. Four mission specialists will perform five scheduled spacewalks to complete system upgrades to the telescope. More durable solar arrays, a large gyroscopic assembly to help point the telescope properly, a new telescope power control unit, and a cooling system to restore the use of a key infrared camera and spectrometer unit, which has been dormant since 1999, will all be installed. In addition, the telescopes view of the Universe will be improved with the addition of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), which replaces the Faint Object Camera, the last of Hubble's original instruments. The STS-109 crew also includes Commander Scott D. Altman, Pilot Duane G. Carey, and

STS066-S-003 (3 November 1994) --- In the white room at Launch Pad 39B, Jean-Francois Clervoy, mission specialist representing European Space Agency (ESA), is assisted with his partial pressure launch/entry suit (LES) by close-out crew members Travis Thompson and Danny Wyatt (background). At noon on November 3, 1994, the ESA astronaut joined five NASA astronauts for launch aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The six astronauts went on to spend 11-days in Earth-orbit in support of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) mission.

S99-08359 (26 July 1999) --- Astronaut John M. Grunsfeld, mission specialist, wearing an underwater-adapted training version of the Shuttle extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), signals "all's well" prior to going into the water in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). Grunsfeld and other astronauts assigned to STS-103 space walk duty are in training for EVA chores they will handle when they make the third servicing visit to the Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (HST) since its deployment in April 1990.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-107 Pilot William "Willie" McCool (center) gets help with his launch and entry suit from the Closeout Crew in the White Room. The environmentally controlled chamber is mated to Space Shuttle Columbia for entry into the Shuttle. In the foreground, left, is Mission Specialist David Brown. 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. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:39 a.m. EST.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Commander Steven Lindsey is helped by the Closeout Crew to prepare his launch suit for entering Discovery and the launch. Situated on the end of the orbiter access arm, the White Room provides access into the orbiter on the pad. The crew is preparing for the third launch attempt in four days; previous attempts were scrubbed due to weather concerns. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Looking relaxed, STS-121 Pilot Mark Kelly is donning his launch and entry suit for launch today on Space Shuttle Discovery. Kelly 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.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-110 Mission Specialist Ellen Ochoa relaxes during suit fit, part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide flight crews an opportunity to participate in simulated launch countdown activities. 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.

STS-60 Mission Commander Charles F. Bolden, Jr., gets a helping hand as he dons his Launch/Entry suit in the O&C building. Soon Bolden and five fellow crew members will head fro launch pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Discovery awaits liftoff at 7:10 am, EST. (Op. No. D6022)(Item D112B)

JSC2005-E-32739 (1 Aug. 2005) --- Astronaut Mark L. Polansky, STS-116 commander, uses a special pulley device to lower himself from a simulated trouble-plagued shuttle during a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center. Polansky is wearing a training version of the shuttle launch and entry suit.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey puts on his orange flight suit in the Shuttle Landing Facility's Landing Aids Control Building, which is on the south end of the facility's runway. Lindsey and Pilot Eric Boe are preparing to practice landings in Shuttle Training Aircraft, modified Gulfstream II business jets that mimic the shuttle's handling during the final phase of landing. Practice landings are part of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), which provides each shuttle crew and launch team an opportunity to participate in various simulated activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency training at the launch pad.Space shuttle Discovery and its STS-133 crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 1 at 4:40 p.m.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Closeout Crew in the White Room help STS-128 crew members complete their suit-up before entering space shuttle Discovery for the 11:59 p.m. EDT liftoff. Seen here is Commander Rick Sturckow. The first launch attempt on Aug. 24 was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. The second attempt on Aug. 25 also was postponed due to an issue with a valve in space shuttle Discovery's main propulsion system. The STS-128 mission is the 30th International Space Station assembly flight and the 128th space shuttle flight. The 13-day mission will deliver more than 7 tons of supplies, science racks and equipment, as well as additional environmental hardware to sustain six crew members on the International Space Station. The equipment includes a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill.

S66-28636 (1 April 1966) --- Astronaut Clifton C. Williams Jr., backup crew pilot of the Gemini-10 spaceflight, undergoes zero-gravity egress training. A KC-135 Air Force plane, flying a parabolic curve, creates a weightless environment as a training exercise in preparation for spaceflight. The Hand-Held Maneuvering Unit in his right hand produces controlled thrust for moving about.

JSC2002-01537 (8 August 2002) --- Astronaut Christer Fuglesang, STS-116 mission specialist, uses the crew escape slide in the crew compartment trainer (CCT) during emergency egress training. The CCT is one of several shuttle-training components located in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Fuglesang represents the European Space Agency (ESA).

JSC2000-02568 (21 March 2000) --- Astronaut Richard A. Mastracchio, STS-106 mission specialist, awaits his turn to be dropped by asimulated parachute into water during an emergency bailout exercise in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL).Mastracchio, an alumnus of NASA's 1996 class of astronaut candidates, will join four other astronauts and two cosmonauts, representing the Russian Aviation and Space Agency, for a late summer visit to the International Space Station.

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

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-124 Mission Specialists Karen Nyberg (left) and Ron Garan have reached the slidewire baskets on the 195-foot level of the fixed service structure. The baskets are used for emergency egress, part of the launch dress rehearsal known as the terminal countdown demonstration test. TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including a simulated launch countdown, equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. On the STS-124 mission, the crew will deliver and install the Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module and Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Discovery's launch is targeted for May 31.

White room crew members Greg Lohning (left) and Chris Meinert help STS-91 Mission Specialist Franklin R. Chang-Diaz prepare to enter the Space Shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39A

JSC2007-E-18102 (9 April 2007) --- United Space Alliance (USA) crew trainer Adam Flagan (left) briefs astronaut Douglas H. Wheelock, STS-120 mission specialist, on the usage of a special pulley device, used to lower oneself from a trouble-plagued shuttle. The briefing came during an emergency egress training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center. Wheelock is wearing a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit.

STS-85 Payload Specialist Bjarni V. Tryggvason is assisted with his ascent/reentry flight suit by white room closeout crew members Jack Burritt and Carlos Gillis at Launch Pad 39A before he enters the crew cabin of the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The crew members of mission STS-116 are suiting up for a second launch attempt at 8:47 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 39B aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Pictured here, Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang is helped with his boot. Fuglesang represents the European Space Agency. He is making his first shuttle flight. The first launch attempt of STS-116 on Dec. 7 was postponed due a low cloud ceiling over Kennedy Space Center. 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. 19 at KSC.

S95-15847 (26 July 1995) --- Wearing a training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit, astronaut Mario Runco Jr., mission specialist, prepares to participate in an underwater rehearsal of a contingency Extravehicular Activity (EVA). This type of training routinely takes place in the 25-feet deep pool of the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Center (WET-F). The training prepares at least two crew members on each flight for procedures to follow outside the spacecraft in event of failure of remote methods to perform various chores.

STS-94 Mission Specialist Michael L. Gernhardt prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Pad 39A in preparation for launch. He first flew in this capacity on STS-69. He has been a professional deep sea diver and engineer and holds a doctorate in bioengineering. Gernhardt will be in charge of the Blue shift and as flight engineer will operate and maintain the orbiter while Halsell and Still are asleep as members of the Red shift. He will also back them up on the flight deck during the ascent and re-entry phases of the mission. Gernhardt and six fellow crew members will lift off during a launch window that opens at 1:50 p.m. EDT, July 1. The launch window will open 47 minutes early to improve the opportunity to lift off before Florida summer rain showers reach the space center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- STS-118 Mission Specialist Alvin Drew completes suitup for the simulated launch countdown that concludes the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT. The STS-118 crew has been at Kennedy for the TCDT activities that also include M-113 training, payload familiarization and emergency egress training at the pad. The mission is the 22nd flight to the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Endeavour will carry a payload including the S5 truss, a SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3. STS-118 is targeted for launch on Aug. 7.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STS-115 crew members complete their suitup in the White Room before entering Space Shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad 39B for a simulated launch countdown. Shown here is Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner. The White Room, which is located at the end of the orbiter access arm, allows entry into the orbiter through the crew access hatch. The mission crew is at KSC for Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities that are preparation for launch. Liftoff of Atlantis is scheduled to take place in a window that opens 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.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts 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. Mission Specialist Naoko Yamazaki of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, seen here, checks the fit of her suit's helmet. Liftoff of the STS-131 mission is set for 6 21 a.m. EDT on April 5. On STS-131, the seven-member crew will deliver the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, filled with supplies, a new crew sleeping quarters and science racks that will be transferred to the International Space Station's laboratories. The crew also will switch out a gyroscope on the stations truss, install a spare ammonia storage tank and retrieve a Japanese experiment from the stations exterior. STS-131 is the 33rd shuttle mission to the station and the 131st shuttle mission overall.

STS-102 Pilot James Kelly gets a final fitting in his launch and entry suit. This will be Kellys first Shuttle launch. STS-102 is the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. In addition, three of the crew members Mission Specialists James Voss, Susan Helms and Yury Usachev, known as Expedition Two are flying to the Station to replace Expedition One, who will return to Earth on Discovery. Discovery is set to launch March 8 at 6 42 a.m. EST. The 12-day mission is expected to end with a landing at KSC on March 20

JSC2000-05554 (3 August 2000) --- Astronaut Paul W. Richards, STS-102 mission specialist, rappels from the top of the shuttle full fuselage trainer (FFT) during an emergency egress training exercise at the Johnson Space Center's Systems Integration Facility.

STS119-S-016 (15 March 2009) --- In the White Room on launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, attired in their shuttle launch and entry suits with harness and parachute pack, astronauts Joseph Acaba (left), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Koichi Wakata (center) and Steve Swanson (seated) talk with the closeout crew as they prepare to go through the open hatch into Space Shuttle Discovery. The White Room is at the end of the orbiter access arm on the fixed service structure and provides access into the shuttle. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:43 p.m. (EDT) on March 15, 2009.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Return to Flight STS-114 Pilot James Kelly adjusts his helmet during suitup in preparation for launch aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. The crew is scheduled to launch on this historic mission at 3 51 p.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. It is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and the 31st for Discovery. The 12-day mission is expected to end with touchdown at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 11 06 a.m. July 25.

STS-130 Payload Egress Training at the Full Fuselage Trainer (FFT). Photo Date: June 1, 2009. Locationi: Building 9NW - FFT Mockup.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As he undergoes a final check on his launch and entry suit, STS-110 Mission Specialist Jerry Ross shows his delight in the upcoming launch. Ross will be making a record-breaking seventh Shuttle flight. The STS-110 payload includes the S0 Integrated Truss Structure (ITS), the Canadian Mobile Transporter, power distribution system modules, a heat pipe radiator for cooling, computers and a pair of rate gyroscopes. The 11-day mission is the 13th assembly flight to the ISS and includes four spacewalks to attach the S0 truss to the U.S. Lab Destiny. Launch is scheduled for April 4

JSC2000-02931 (5 April 2000) --- Astronaut Daniel C. Burbank, STS-106 mission specialist, rappels from the top of a simulated shuttle in trouble (actually a crew training mockup) during emergency egress training at the Johnson Space Center's Systems Integration Facility. Burbank will joinfour other NASA astronauts and two cosmonauts representing the Russian Aviation and Space Agency for a visit tothe International Space Station in late summer of this year.

In the environmental chamber known as the white room, STS-95 Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), is prepared by closeout room crew members Danny Wyatt (left), Carlous Gillis (behind her) and Dave Law (right) for entry into the Space Shuttle Discovery for her second flight into space. The STS-95 mission, targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7

In the Operations and Checkout Building, STS-101 Mission Specialist Jeffrey N. Williams gets final check on his launch and entry suit before heading a second time to Launch Pad 39A and launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. The previous day's launch attempt was scrubbed due to high cross winds at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The mission will take the crew to the International Space Station to deliver logistics and supplies and to prepare the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk. This will be the third assembly flight to the Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for 3:52 p.m. EDT. The mission is expected to last about 10 days, with Atlantis landing at KSC Saturday, May 6, about 11:53 a.m. EDT

STS-92 Mission Specialist William S. McArthur Jr. is fully suited up before the second launch attempt. He and the rest of the crew will be leaving soon for the ride to Launch Pad 39A on the Astrovan. During the 11-day mission to the International Space Station, four extravehicular activities (EVAs), or spacewalks, are planned for construction. The payload includes the Integrated Truss Structure Z-1 and the third Pressurized Mating Adapter. The Z-1 truss is the first of 10 that will become the backbone of the Space Station, eventually stretching the length of a football field. PMA-3 will provide a Shuttle docking port for solar array installation on the sixth Station flight and Lab installation on the seventh Station flight.; Launch is scheduled for 7:17 p.m. EDT. Landing is expected Oct. 22 at 2:10 p.m. EDT

In the White Room, Launch Pad 39B, STS-102 Mission Specialist Yury Usachev gets warm greetings from one of the suit technicians helping with final preparations before entering Space Shuttle Discovery. STS-102 is Russian cosmonaut Usachevs second Shuttle flight. He is also part of the Expedition Two crew flying on the mission to replace the Expedition One crew on the Station. Discovery is carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo on the eighth construction flight to the International Space Station. The primary delivery system used to resupply and return Station cargo requiring a pressurized environment, Leonardo will deliver up to 10 tons of laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies for outfitting the newly installed U.S. Laboratory Destiny. Discovery is set to launch March 8 at 6:42 a.m. EST. The 12-day mission is expected to end with a landing at KSC on March 20

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the White Room on Launch Pad 39B, STS-121 Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson is helped by the Closeout Crew to secure her launch suit before entering Discovery. Waiting in the back is Pilot Mark Kelly. Situated on the end of the orbiter access arm, the White Room provides access into the orbiter on the pad. The crew is preparing for the third launch attempt in four days; previous attempts were scrubbed due to weather concerns. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station.

JSC2010-E-024601 (11 Feb. 2010) --- NASA astronaut Gregory H. Johnson, STS-134 pilot, attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, is pictured during a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

STS-84 Mission Specialist Carlos I. Noriega gets assistance from a suit technician as he dons his launch and entry suit during final prelaunch preparations in the Operations and Checkout Building. This will be Noriegas first space flight. Noriega and six other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis awaits liftoff on a mission to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir

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

(19 Feb. 1982) --- Astronaut Jack R. Lousma, right, STS-3 commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, carry portable spacesuit air controllers as they walk from a transport van to Launch Pad 39A to participate in a simulated countdown and launch.

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