KSC-05pd-0781

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1, astronauts of the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, and United Space Alliance technicians look over the Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS) in Atlantis' payload bay. In the railed enclosure are, from left, the United Space Alliance (USA) bucket operator, Mission Specialist Piers J. Sellers, a USA trainer, and Mission Specialist Michael E. Fossum. The 50-foot-long OBSS is attached to the Remote Manipulator System, or Shuttle robotic arm, and is one of the new safety measures for Return to Flight, equipping the orbiter with cameras and laser systems to inspect the Shuttle’s Thermal Protection System while in space. The STS-121 crew is at KSC to participate in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT). During CEIT, the crew has an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the orbiter and equipment they will be working with on their mission. STS-121, the second Return to Flight mission, is scheduled to launch aboard Atlantis in July.