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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the shuttle training aircraft, or STA, taxis toward the runway for practice landings. In the cockpit are Commander Steve Frick and Pilot Alan Poindexter, who are preparing for the Dec. 6 launch on space shuttle Atlantis. The STA is a Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet that was modified to simulate an orbiter's cockpit, motion and visual cues, and handling qualities. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett