NASA Gallery

CG4G8895 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) signs in for the first of two days of qualification exams May 6 as his crewmates, Kjell Lindgren of NASA (left) and Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (right), look on. The trio is preparing for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8895 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 Soyuz...

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) pose for pictures in front of a Soyuz simulator during Soyuz qualification exams May 26. They are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Stephanie Stoll.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of...

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) arrive for Soyuz qualification exams May 26. They are serving as the backups to prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, who will launch June 24 on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a four-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Stephanie Stoll.

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Center Director Jim Kennedy (right) speaks to attendees at a memorial service honoring the crew of Columbia. At left are KSC Deputy Director Woodrow Whitlow Jr. and Executive Director of Florida Space Authority Winston Scott, who was an invited speaker. Scott is a former astronaut who flew on Columbia in 1997. They are standing in front of the Space Memorial Mirror at the KSC Visitor Complex. Feb. 1 is the one-year anniversary of the loss of the crew and orbiter Columbia in a tragic accident as the ship returned to Earth following mission STS-107. Attended by many friends, co-workers and families, the memorial service was also open to the public.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Center Director Jim Kennedy (right) speaks to attendees at a memorial service honoring...

CG4G9064 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 crewmembers Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center), and Kjell Lindgren of NASA (right) clasp hands for photographers on the first of two days of qualification exams May 6. The trio is preparing for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G9064 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA worker Joy Huff (right) shows a leading edge subsystems (LESS) with tile bonded to it to members of the Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group (SCTG). From left are Dr. Amy Donahue, David Lengyel, Dr. Kathryn Clark, Richard Covey, former Space Shuttle commander, and William Wegner. Covey is co-chair of the SCTG along with Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo commander. Chartered by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, the task group will perform an independent assessment of NASA’s implementation of the final recommendations by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASA worker Joy Huff (right) shows a leading edge subsystems (LESS) with tile bonded to...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Dr. Jonathan Clark (right), husband of STS-107 Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, and their son (left) visit a new residence hall at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in Melbourne, Fla., named for his late wife. Family members of the STS-107 astronauts, other dignitaries, members of the university community and the public gathered for a dedication ceremony for the Columbia Village at FIT. Each of the seven new residence halls in the complex is named for one of the STS-107 astronauts who perished during the Columbia accident -- Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, and Ilan Ramon.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Dr. Jonathan Clark (right), husband of STS-107 Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, and...

CG4G8954 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 crewmembers Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center), and Kjell Lindgren of NASA (right) answer questions from media on the first of two days of qualification exams May 6. The trio is preparing for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G8954 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Center Director Jim Kennedy (center) and Deputy Director Woodrow Whitlow Jr. (far left) look at the external tank door corrosion work being done on Endeavour. Next to Whitlow is Bruce Buckingham, assistant to the deputy director. Providing information, at right, are Orbiter Airframe Engineering ground area manager, and Tom Roberts, Airframe Engineering System specialist, both with United Space Alliance; and Joy Huff, with KSC Space Shuttle Processing. Endeavour is in its Orbiter Major Modification period, which began in December 2003.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On a tour of the Orbiter Processing Facility, Center Director Jim Kennedy (center) and...

At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, the ISS Expedition 48-49 prime and backup crewmembers pose for pictures in front of the statue of Vladimir Lenin June 24 as they departed for their launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. From left to right are backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency and prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Rubins, Ivanishin and Onishi will launch July 7 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft for a planned four-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Stephanie Stoll.

ISS Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) arrive in Baikonur, Kazakhstan June 24 following a flight from their training base in Star City, Russia. Prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch July 7 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft for a planned four-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Alexander Vysotsky.

ISS Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, dressed in blue protective clothing (at right), looks at the inside of the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), along with technicians. The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, dressed in...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, an orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod is moved into place on Atlantis. It is one of two OMS pods attached to the upper aft fuselage left and right sides. Fabricated primarily of graphite epoxy composite and aluminum, each pod is 21.8 feet long and 11.37 feet wide at its aft end and 8.41 feet wide at its forward end, with a surface area of approximately 435 square feet. Each pod houses the Reaction Control System propulsion components used for inflight maneuvering and is attached to the aft fuselage with 11 bolts.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, an orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod is moved...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Eric Madaras (left), NASA-Langley Research Center, and Jim McGee, The Boeing Company, Huntington Beach, Calif., conduct impulse tests on the right wing leading edge (WLE) of Space Shuttle Endeavour. The tests monitor how sound impulses propagate through the WLE area. The data collected will be analyzed to explore the possibility of adding new instrumentation to the wing that could automatically detect debris or micrometeroid impacts on the Shuttle while in flight. The study is part of the initiative ongoing at KSC and around the agency to return the orbiter fleet to flight status.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Eric Madaras (left), NASA-Langley Research Center,...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-114 Mission Specialists Andrew Thomas, Soichi Noguchi and Charles Camarda greet astronaut John Young (far right), who flew on the first flight of Space Shuttle Columbia with Robert Crippen. Behind Camarda is Pilot James Kelly. Young is associate director, Technical, at Johnson Space Center. Noguchi represents the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency. The STS-114 crew is spending time becoming familiar with Shuttle and mission equipment. The mission is Logistics Flight 1, which is scheduled to deliver supplies and equipment plus the external stowage platform to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, STS-114 Mission Specialists Andrew Thomas, Soichi...

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA (left), Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos (center) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (right) pose for pictures June 25 in front of the Soyuz MS-01 spacecraft during a �ޔfit check��� dress rehearsal activity. Prime crewmembers Kate Rubins of NASA, Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch on July 7, Baikonur time, on the Soyuz MS-01 for a planned four-month mission on the International Space Station...NASA/Alexander Vysotsky.

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 48-49 backup crewmembers Peggy...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, technicians make final adjustments to the orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod being installed on Atlantis. The OMS pod is one of two that are attached to the upper aft fuselage left and right sides. Fabricated primarily of graphite epoxy composite and aluminum, each pod is 21.8 feet long and 11.37 feet wide at its aft end and 8.41 feet wide at its forward end, with a surface area of approximately 435 square feet. Each pod houses the Reaction Control System propulsion components used for inflight maneuvering and is attached to the aft fuselage with 11 bolts.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, technicians make final adjustments to the orbital...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, astronaut Soichi Noguchi (right), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), stands inside the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) that is undergoing a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) with the U.S. Node 2. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (left) and Center Director Roy Bridges Jr. (right) exchange mementos during Mr. Yamamoto’s visit to KSC. Mr. Bridges also holds the logo of the new Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, a merger of three Japanese aeronautical and space agencies effective Oct.1, 2003. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module. His visit includes a tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (left) and Center Director Roy Bridges Jr....

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) Spacelab module is installed into the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia in Orbiter Processing Facility 1. The Spacelab long crew transfer tunnel that leads from the orbiter's crew airlock to the module is also aboard, as well as the Hitchhiker Cryogenic Flexible Diode (CRYOFD) experiment payload, which is attached to the right side of Columbia's payload bay. During the scheduled 16-day STS-83 mission, the MSL-1 will be used to test some of the hardware, facilities and procedures that are planned for use on the International Space Station while the flight crew conducts combustion, protein crystal growth and materials processing experiments.

CG4G9036 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45 crewmembers Kimya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (left), Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos, center), and Kjell Lindgren of NASA (right) answer questions from media on the first of two days of qualification exams May 6. The trio is preparing for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 27, Kazakh time, in the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to begin a five and a half month mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Seth Marcantel

CG4G9036 --- (6 May 2015) --- At the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, Expedition 44/45...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group (SCTG) look over equipment in the Orbiter Processing Facility. At left (back to camera), Fernando Santos, with NASA, and Paul Ogletree (at monitor), with United Space Alliance, describe how flash thermography is used to inspect the structure of Reinforced Carbon Carbon panels and establish a baseline on panels before flight. Chairing the task group are Richard O. Covey (far right), former Space Shuttle commander, and Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo commander. Chartered by NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, the task group will perform an independent assessment of NASA’s implementation of the final recommendations by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance workers Mike Hyatt (left) Jerry Belt (center), and Saul Ngy (right), lift a Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) panel they will attach to the leading edge of the wing of the orbiter Atlantis. The gray carbon composite RCC panels have sufficient strength to withstand the aerodynamic forces experienced during launch and reentry, which can reach as high as 800 pounds per square foot. The operating range of RCC is from minus 250º F to about 3,000º F, the temperature produced by friction with the atmosphere during reentry.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance workers Mike Hyatt (left)...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance worker Dan Kenna (right) positions a Reinforced Carbon Carbon panel on the table to perform flash thermography. In the background, Paul Ogletree observes the monitor. Attached to the leading edge of the wing of the orbiters, the gray carbon composite RCC panels have sufficient strength to withstand the aerodynamic forces experienced during launch and reentry, which can reach as high as 800 pounds per square foot. The operating range of RCC is from minus 250º F to about 3,000º F, the temperature produced by friction with the atmosphere during reentry.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, United Space Alliance worker Dan Kenna (right)...