KSC-99pp1317

STS-103 Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. gets ready to take the helm of a small armored personnel carrier that is part of emergency egress training during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. The tracked vehicle could be used by the crew in the event of an emergency at the pad during which the crew must make a quick exit from the area. The TCDT also provides simulated countdown exercises and opportunities to inspect the mission payloads in the orbiter's payload bay. STS-103 is a "call-up" mission due to the need to replace and repair portions of the Hubble Space Telescope. Four EVA's are planned to make the necessary repairs and replacements on the telescope. The other STS-103 crew members are Pilot Scott J. Kelly, and Mission Specialists Steven L. Smith , C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.), John M. Grunsfeld (Ph.D.), plus Claude Nicollier of Switzerland and Jean-François Clervoy of France, who are with the European Space Agency. The mission is targeted for launch Dec. 6 at 2:37 a.m. EST