WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

The crew of the STS-89 mission, scheduled for launch Jan. 22 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), participated in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) at KSC. Posing at the pad in front of the Shuttle Endeavour with its large orange external tank looming overhead are, from left to right, Mission Specialists Michael Anderson, Salizhan Sharipov of the Russian Space Agency, Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., James Reilly, Ph.D., Bonnie Dunbar, Ph.D.; Commander Terrence Wilcutt; and Pilot Joe Edwards Jr. The TCDT is held at KSC prior to each Space Shuttle flight to provide the crew of each mission with an opportunity to participate in simulated countdown activities. The TCDT ends with a mock launch countdown culminating in a simulated main engine cut-off. The crew also spends time undergoing emergency egress training exercises at the pad and has an opportunity to view and inspect the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay.