BRUCE BUCKINGHAM: As our astronauts are, have arrived at the 195-foot level and are beginning the process to enter the vehicle,
our first to enter, as is traditionally the situation, but always operationally, a need to have Commander Steve Lindsey, the commander to go
in first to begin the regimen of configuring, making sure that the cockpit is configured for launch,
doing initial voice checks, and of course, as the commander of this mission, he has the overall responsibility for the on-orbit execution of the mission,
as well as the orbiter systems operations and flight operations.
(voices on KSC launch communications system)
Back in the White Room is our mission specialist number five, Thomas Reiter.
Thomas is actually going to be sitting on the mid-deck for his, his flight to the International Space Station.
In the White Room now is our pilot, Mark Kelly. He is preparing for his second space shuttle flight.
(voices on KSC launch communications system)
Stephanie Wilson in the background there, she's already been pretty much suited up. She's going to be making her first flight into space
and she'll be serving as the overall lead for transferring supplies from the shuttle's cargo module to the station.
Meanwhile, as Stephanie Wilson waits her turn to climb to the hatch, Mike Fossum, MS, or mission
specialist number one, is getting his suit on. Ready for him to go in.
That's Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers. Piers is mission specialist number four. Six of our seven astronauts are now onboard,
as Piers Sellers makes his way in. That leaves Lisa Nowak as the remaining crew member outside the orbiter.
She'll be climbing onboard shortly. Again, she, this is her first spacewalk and she's going
to be operating the shuttle robotic arm during the first spacewalk.
See our White Room closeout crew disconnecting the cooling umbilicals from Lisa Nowak's suit and she'll be climbing onboard momentarily.
And with that, all of our astronauts are now onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
They are still yet to be fully seated in, with Lisa being the one that's just now climbing into her seat.
Once the hatch is closed and sealed for flight, the astronauts will be directed to start standard crew cabin leak
checks to verify that the seal is indeed tight. Once sealed, the commander will oversee the pressurization of the cabin to flight pressures.