WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

The STS-72 astronauts depart the Operations and Checkout Building and head for Launch Pad 39B and the first Shuttle mission of 1996. Leading the way are Commander Brian Duffy (front right) and Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata (front left), who represents the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) of Japan. Behind them are, from left, Mission Specialists Winston E. Scott, Dr. Daniel T. Barry, and Leroy Chiao and Pilot Brent W. Jett Jr. Awaiting the crew is the Space Shuttle Endeavour, undergoing final prepartaions for liftoff during an approximately 49-minute window opening at about 4:18 am EST, January 11. The exact launch time will be based on a final preflight compuation of the location of the Japanese Space Flyer Unit (SFU) spacecraft, which the STS-72 flight crew will retrieve during their planned nine-day mission.