After a rain delay imposed by Tropical Storm Alberto, the seven-member crew of STS-121 flew into Kennedy Space Center
for three final days of training in preparation for a July liftoff.
The crew's first full day in Florida began at Launch Pad 39B.
In the shadow of Discovery, Commander Steven Lindsey and the rest of his team took questions from the media.
The crew's attention then turned to safety.
Suited up with all of their flight gear, the astronauts practiced firefighting techniques and escaping
from the shuttle in the event of an emergency.
The second day of the event featured a full dress rehearsal for an actual launch.
Once again emblazoned with their signature orange suits, the STS-121 crew boarded Discovery and worked with launch
controllers through a simulated countdown
Training wrapped up on day three after the crew carefully inspected the Leonardo module secured inside Discovery's
payload bay.
The traditional "once over" allows the astronauts to ensure the cargo is free of any hazards that could cause
problems during the mission.
Seeing that the shuttle, payload and launch team are ready for flight, the STS-121 crew members returned to their
home base in Houston, Texas confident that everything is shipshape and ready for liftoff.