STS029-S-024 (13 March 1989) --- The flight crew for NASA's STS-29 mission leave the operations and checkout building en route to the van that will transport them to Launch Pad 39B, where Discovery awaits the astronauts for its second post-Challenge flight. Leading the way is astronaut Michael L. Coats, mission commander. He is followed by astronauts John E. Blaha, pilot; and James F. Buchli, James P. Bagian and Robert C. Springer, all mission specialists. In the background are astronaut Daniel C. Brandenstein, chief of the astronaut office, and Donald R. Puddy, director of flight crew operations.

STS028-S-001 (8 Aug 1989) --- The five astronaut crewmembers for STS-28 leave the operations and checkout building to board a transfer van en route to Launch Complex 39 for a date with Columbia. Front to back are Brewster H. Shaw Jr., Richard N. Richards, David C. Leestma, James C. Adamson and Mark N. Brown. At the rear of the line are Astronaut Michael L. Coats, acting chief of the astronaut office; and Donald R. Puddy, director of flight crew operations at JSC. Coats later flew a NASA Shuttle training aircraft for pre-launch and launch monitoring activities.

STS-26 crewmembers, suited in launch and entry suits (LESs), leave the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building on their way to the launch complex (LC) pad 39B where they will board Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. Commander Frederick H. Hauck, waving to spectators, is followed by Pilot Richard O. Covey, Mission Specialist (MS) John M. Lounge, MS David C. Hilmers, and MS George D. Nelson. Others accompanying the crew are JSC Flight Crew Operations Directorate (FCOD) Director Donald R. Puddy, Astronaut Office Chief Daniel C. Brandenstein, and a Crew Training Officer Richard W. Nygren.

STS-26 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, Mission Specialist (MS) John M. Lounge relaxes in reclining chair after donning his orange launch and entry suit (LES) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. Upon completion of preflight suit tests, crewmembers will head to the launch pad.

S88-53088 (2 Dec. 1988) --- The STS-27 crew strides down the ramp from the Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center to grab a van that will take the crew members to Launch Complex 39 for the Dec. 2, 1988 liftoff of Atlantis. Astronaut Robert L. Gibson, commander, waves to well-wishers (out of frame). He is followed by astronaut Guy S. Gardner, pilot, along with the flight?s three mission specialists -- astronauts William M. Shepherd, Richard M.(Mike) Mullane and Jerry L. Ross. Photo credit: NASA

STS-32 Mission Specialist (MS) Bonnie J. Dunbar, wearing launch and entry suit (LES), looks on as technicians prepare LES equipment in the white room on the orbiter access arm at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A before entering Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. In the background, a technician looks through OV-102 side hatch.

S90-27591 (23 Jan 1990) --- STS-33 crewmembers, wearing launch and entry suit (LES), take a break from training activities to pose for group portrait in front of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, at the 195 ft level elevator entrance at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39B. Left to right are Pilot John E. Blaha, Mission Specialist (MS) Kathryn C. Thornton, MS Manley L. Carter, Jr, Commander Frederick D. Gregory, and MS F. Story Musgrave. Visible in the background is the catwalk to OV-103's side hatch.

S90-27594 (November 1989) --- Manley L. "Sonny" Carter Jr., STS-33 mission specialist, wearing a Launch and Entry Suit (LES), poses in front of the space shuttle Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex Pad 39B, at the 195 feet level elevator entrance at Pad 39B. Visible in the background is the catwalk to OV-103's side hatch and the Atlantic Ocean. Note: Carter died April 5, 1991 at age 43, in a civil aviation accident.

STS-33 Mission Specialist (MS) Kathryn C. Thornton, wearing launch and entry suit (LES) and holding file folder, poses in front of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, at the 195 ft level elevator entrance at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39B. Visible in the background is the catwalk to OV-103's side hatch and the Atlantic Ocean.

Photographic documentation of the STS-97 preflight training which occurred in Building 9 Crew Compartment Trainer II (CCTII). Views include: Astronaut Brent W. Jett (center), STS-97 mission commander, shares a light moment with two of the mission specialists on his crew, astronauts Joseph R. Tanner (left) and Carlos I. Noriega. The three are about to don training versions of the orange Launch and entry suit (LES) prior to a dry run of countdown procedures (23524). Astronaut Joseph R. Tanner (left), mission specialist, helps astronaut Michael J. Bloomfield, pilot, with final touches on his suit-donning process as USA suit technicians Bill Todd (standing) and Brad Milling look on (23525). Astronaut Carlos I. Noriega, attired in a blue thermal undergarment, and USA suit technician Mike Birkenseher help astronaut Brent W. Jett, STS-97 mission commander, with final touches of suit donning (23526). Astronaut Marc Garneau, mission specialist representing the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), looks on as two crew mates assist him with final touches of suit-donning prior to a training session in the Johnson Space Center's Systems Integration Facility. Helping out are astronauts Carlos I. Noriega (left) and Joseph R. Tanner, mission specialists (23527). Astronaut Michael J. Bloomfield, left, discusses his launch and entry suit with USA technician Bill Todd prior to a training session (23528). Astronaut Joseph R. Tanner lends a helping hand to astronaut Carlos I. Noriega as the two STS-97 mission specialists prepare for a dry run going over launch procedures in a nearby simulator (23529). Astronaut Joseph R. Tanner receives a helping hand from astronaut Carlos I. Noriega as the two STS-97 mission specialists don training versions of their pressure ascent and entry garments (23530). Noriega adjusts his LES while in the CCTII middeck mock-up (23531).

S89-46513 (15 Sept 1989) --- Three members of the STS-34 crew rehearse for their pre-launch procedures at Launch Pad 39B during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). From the foreground, Astronauts Shannon W. Lucid, Michael J. McCulley and Donald E. Williams are at the 195-ft. level of at Pad B. The crew entered Atlantis for the mock countdown. The five astronauts are expected to spend more than five days in Earth orbit next month, with their primary objective being to release the Galileo spacecraft and send it on its way to Jupiter. Not in the frame are Astronauts Franklin R. Chang-Diaz and Ellen S. Baker. (KSC-89PC-898)

STS047-S-038 (12 Sept 1992) --- The seven crewmembers who will be aboard for Endeavour's second trip into space leave the Operations and Checkout Building to board a van headed for Launch Complex 39. This mission will be devoted to support of the Spacelab-J mission, a joint effort between Japan and the United States. Launch occurred at 10:23:00:0680 a.m. (EDT), September 12, 1992. Onboard were astronauts Robert L. Gibson, mission commander; Curtis L. Brown Jr., pilot; Mark C. Lee, payload commander; and Jerome (Jay) Apt, Mae C. Jemison and N. Jan Davis, mission specialists; along with payload specialist Mamoru Mohri, representing the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) of Japan.

S93-25030 (15 Dec 1992) --- Two astronauts assigned to fly aboard Endeavour for the STS-54 mission are briefed on the slidewire escape system at the launch pad. Pictured in the slidewire litter are astronauts Gregory J. Harbaugh (left) and Susan J. Helms, mission specialists. They are assisted by Max Kandler of Lockheed, Houston. All five crewmembers are in Florida this week to participate in countdown demonstration tests.