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Music

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As launch day approaches for space shuttle Discovery's final flight

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to the International Space Station,

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the STS-133 crew members prepare for liftoff by participating in the

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Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT,

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at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

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The six crew members flew in T-38 jets

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to Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility Tuesday, Oct. 12.

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They were greeted by Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach, astronaut Jerry Ross

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and media gathered for the crew's arrival.

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Veteran astronaut Steve Lindsey commands Discovery's flight,

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assisted by Pilot Eric Boe,

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Mission Specialists Nicole Stott,

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Tim Kopra,

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Alvin Drew

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and Michael Barratt.

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During the three days of training, Lindsey and Boe made several take-offs and landings

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in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, a modified Gulfstream jet

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designed to simulate the shuttle gliding unpowered onto the 3-mile-long runway.

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As part of safety training on Launch Pad 39A,

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the astronauts were briefed on the pad's slidewire baskets and on the ground

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at the safety bunker, part of the emergency exit system located 1,200 feet west of the pad.

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STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey: It's great to be here for TCDT

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and go through that again. The vehicle is looking great.

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All of our activities are going great. We are basically trained and ready to fly

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just a few more weeks of activities we need to go through and then we'll be hopefully

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back here for an on-time launch on November. 1

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The astronauts also were instructed on how to drive the M-113

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armored personnel carriers out in the field.

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M-113 training was developed to transport the flight and pad crew to safety

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in the unlikely event of a contingency on the pad before launch.

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On the final day at Kennedy, the astronauts suited up in their custom-fitted

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orange launch and entry suits and helmets in preparation for a full launch dress rehearsal.

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After traveling in NASA's silver Astrovan, they arrived at the pad's

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White Room on the 195-foot level and climbed aboard Discovery,

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aided by the Closeout Crew.

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As realistic as launch day itself, the flight crew took part in a simulated

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launch countdown that included operations and communication checks of a real liftoff

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right down to a mock engine start.

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The final exercise included emergency pad evacuation procedures and jumping into

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the slidewire baskets.

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After wrapping up TCDT training, the astronauts climbed back into their T-38's

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and returned home to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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Discovery's STS-133 mission is targeted for a Nov. 1 liftoff

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to the International Space Station.

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