KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - The seven astronauts who will launch aboard space shuttle Discovery later this month flew to Kennedy Space Center today to take part in three days of emergency training as part of final training activities for mission STS-128. The week will culminate in a full launch dress rehearsal known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test,
FREE VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT KSC FREE VIDEO: SHUTTLE PAYLOAD IS MOVED TO THE LAUNCH PAD Swooping over KSC in NASA's T-38 training jets, Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Kevin Ford and their crewmates flew over their vehicle on launch pad before landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. "It was a great flight down... had a good look at he rocket sitting on the pad," Ford said to media gathered at the runway to welcome the shuttle crew. Sturckow and Ford were joined by mission specialists Danny Olicas, Christer Fuglesang, Jose Hernandez, Pat Forrester and future ISS resident crewmember Nicole Stott. Stott is a former employee at Kenndy Space Center, only the fourth KSC alum to become an astronaut. Her stint at KSC lasted from 1987 to 1997, including being Endeavour's flow director responsible for prelaunch processing of the orbiter before every mission. "It's like coming home," said Stott. "So it's nice to be here and see old friends." She will replace flight engineer Timothy Kopra on board the space station. Kopra will return to Earth with Discovery's crew. Discovery's mission will deliver new science racks for the complex's laboratory modules, and feature three spacewalks and replace some of the station cooling system's aging ammonia tanks and will return a European science experiment package to Earth. Discovery is targeted for launch at 1:36 in the morning of August 25. (The Spacearium / Space Media Corporation)
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