KSC-2009-4782

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Members of space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 crew are welcomed to Kennedy Space Center by STS-128 Launch Director Pete Nickolenko, at left, and Center Director Bob Cabana, a former astronaut himself. The crew arrived in a NASA Shuttle Training Aircraft, a modified Gulfstream II jet, at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility at 6:34 p.m. EDT. The astronauts are, from left, Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester (under the aircraft), Nicole Stott who will remain on the International Space Station as flight engineer for Expedition 20, Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang of the European Space Agency, John "Danny" Olivas, and Jose Hernandez; Commander Rick Sturckow; and Pilot Kevin Ford. The crew has returned to Kennedy to prepare for launch on Aug. 25 at 1:36 a.m. EDT. The 13-day mission will deliver a new crew member and 33,000 pounds of equipment to the International Space Station. The equipment includes science and storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment and the COLBERT treadmill. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett