KSC-05pd-0803

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-114 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a T-38 jet training aircraft. He and other crew members are taking part in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) over the next three days. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight. It provides the crew of each mission an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. The test ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cutoff. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the launch pad. This is Thomas’ fourth space flight. STS-114 is the first Return to Flight mission to the International Space Station. The launch window extends July 13 through July 31.