JSC2005-E-16260 (5 April 2004) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist

JSC2005-E-45666 (29 November 2005) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, attired in flight gear, walks near the flight line of the NASA T-38 trainer jets at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center.

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, TEXAS -- JSC2005-E-16260 -- Official portrait of astronaut Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist.

ISS013-E-48877 (6 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum totes his extravehicular mobility unit space suit onboard the International Space Station a couple of days before he is to don it for a lengthy space walk. Fossum and his six Discovery crewmates are spending their first day on the orbital outpost.

S121-E-06509 (13 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, washes his hair on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

Expedition 26 back up crew member Michael Fossum is seen at the State Commission press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Michael Fossum, Expedition 26 back up crew member, is seen at the State Commission meeting held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

S121-E-06500 (13 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, prepares to wash his hair on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

S121-E-05870 (6 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum (left), STS-121 mission specialist, and Mark E. Kelly, pilot, float on the middeck on the Space Shuttle Discovery.

STS-124 crew members, from left, pilot Kenneth T. Ham, mission specialist Karen L. Nyberg, mission specialist, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Akihiko Hoshide, Commander Mark E. Kelly, mission specialist Michael E. Fossum and mission specialist Ronald J. Garan talk about their STS-124 mission shortly after landing the space shuttle Discovery at 11:15 a.m. on June 14, 2008 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. During the 14-day mission the crew of STS-124 installed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's large Kibo laboratory and its remote manipulator system leaving a larger space station and one with increased science capabilities. Discovery also brought home NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman after his 3 month mission onboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

S121-E-06219 (10 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, removes the trailing umbilical system-reel assembly (TUS-RA) from the S0 truss on the International Space Station during the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). Fossum is anchored on the mobile foot restraint on the Canadarm2.

S121-E-06199 (10 July 2006) --- Astronauts Michael E. Fossum and Piers J. Sellers (partially out of frame), STS-121 mission specialists, participate in the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During today's six-hour 47-minute spacewalk, Sellers and Fossum restored the International Space Station's Mobile Transporter rail car to full operation and delivered a spare pump module for the station's cooling system.

S121-E-06207 (10 July 2006) --- While anchored on the mobile foot restraint on the Canadarm2, astronaut Michael E. Fossum (left), STS-121 mission specialist, removes the trailing umbilical system-reel assembly (TUS-RA) from the S0 truss on the International Space Station during the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). Astronaut Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist, assisted Fossum by checking the clearance of the TUS-RA as it was lifted from the bay.

S121-E-06223 (10 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During today's six-hour 47-minute spacewalk, Fossum and astronaut Piers J. Sellers (out of frame), mission specialist, restored the International Space Station's Mobile Transporter rail car to full operation and delivered a spare pump module for the station's cooling system.

S121-E-06210 (10 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, removes the trailing umbilical system-reel assembly (TUS-RA) from the S0 truss on the International Space Station during the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). Fossum is anchored on the mobile foot restraint on the Canadarm2.

S121-E-06056 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (red stripes) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work in tandem on the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) during the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

S121-E-05420 (5 July 2006) --- Astronaut Mark E. Kelly, STS-121 pilot, joins his Discovery crewmates on the flight deck as they prepare for the upcoming docking day. Astronaut Michael E. Fossum is seen on the aft flight deck in the background.

JSC2007-E-48230 (28 Sept. 2007) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, astronauts Karen L. Nyberg (left) and Michael E. Fossum, both STS-124 mission specialists, exchange thoughts as they await the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center.

JSC2007-E-43438 (15 Aug. 2007) --- Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-124 mission specialist, awaits the start of a water survival training session in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center.

S121-E-06531 (13 July 2006) --- Astronauts Michael E. Fossum (left) and Piers J. Sellers, both STS-121 mission specialists, look out a window in the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the station.

S121-E-06092 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, repositions tethers at the forward bulkhead of the Space Shuttle Discovery after completing the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) evaluations during the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

S121-E-06258 (9 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (left) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, discuss mission activities on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

S121-E-06040 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (red stripes) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work in tandem on the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) during the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

The shadows of astronauts Piers J. Sellers and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, who are anchored to the Space Shuttle Discovery's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) foot restraint, are visible against a shuttle's payload bay door during a session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

S121-E-05202 (5 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, poses for a photo on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery. This was among the first group of digital still images showing the crewmembers onboard during their first full day in space.

S121-E-06252 (9 July 2006) --- Astronauts Lisa M. Nowak (left), Piers J. Sellers and Michael E. Fossum, all STS-121 mission specialists, look over procedures checklists on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

S121-E-06552 (13 July 2006) --- Astronauts Michael E. Fossum (left) and Piers J. Sellers, both STS-121 mission specialists, pose for a photo near a Russian Orlan space suit in the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the station.

S121-E-06134 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Lisa M. Nowak (left), Michael E. Fossum and Stephanie D. Wilson, STS-121 mission specialists, enjoy a light moment on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

Expedition 26 back up crew members Michael Fossum, left, Anatoly Ivanishin and Satoshi Furukawa are seen talking at the State Commission meeting held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

S121-E-06135 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Lisa M. Nowak (left), Michael E. Fossum and Stephanie D. Wilson, STS-121 mission specialists, enjoy a light moment on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery while docked with the International Space Station.

JSC2006-E-20866 (1 June 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, dons a training version of his Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit prior to being submerged in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near Johnson Space Center.

S121-E-06433 (11 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, works in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the station. An Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit is visible at bottom.

JSC2006-E-28449 (18 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, speaks from a lectern in Ellington Field's Hangar 276 near Johnson Space Center during the STS-121 crew return ceremonies.

S121-E-06058 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (red stripes) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work in tandem on the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) during the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

S121-E-06043 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (red stripes) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work in tandem on the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) during the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

S121-E-07416 (12 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, translates along a truss on the International Space Station during the mission's third and final session of extravehicular activity (EVA) while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the station.

S121-E-05948 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, attired in his Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit, awaits the start of the first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station.

S121-E-05942 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (right) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, attired in their Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuits, prepare for the start of the first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA) in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station.

S121-E-06551 (13 July 2006) -- Astronauts Michael E. Fossum (left) and Piers J. Sellers, both STS-121 mission specialists, pose for a photo near a Russian Orlan space suit in the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the station.

S121-E-06057 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers (red stripes) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work in tandem on the shuttle's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) during the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

S121-E-06211 (10 July 2006) --- Astronauts Michael E. Fossum and Piers J. Sellers (out of frame), STS-121 mission specialists, install the new trailing umbilical system in the mobile transporter on the International Space Station during the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

STS121-S-066 (17 July 2006) --- Dr. Michael Griffin (left), NASA administrator, and Rex Geveden (right), associate administrator, talk with STS-121 crew members Michael E. Fossum (left), mission specialist; and Steven W. Lindsey, commander, after the landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery and conclusion of mission STS-121. The crew of seven tested new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The crew for mission STS-121 is taking part in a Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Looking at the trailing umbilical system reel assembly that will be installed on the International Space Station are Mission Specialists Michael Fossum (on ladder), Lisa Nowak and Stephanie Wilson (below Fossum on floor). A CEIT provides hands-on experiences with equipment used on-orbit. Mission STS-121 is the second in the Return to Flight sequence and will carry on improvements that debuted during last year's STS-114 mission and build upon those tests. Launch is scheduled in July. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

S121-E-08024 (16 July 2006) --- Astronauts Stephanie D. Wilson and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, pose for a photo on the aft flight deck of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Fossum, a graduate of Texas A&M University, flashes the traditional "Gig 'Em, Aggies!" sign and wears an A&M cap, while UT alumnus Wilson gives the "Hook 'Em, Horns!" sign and wears the Longhorn cap. The two joked about the long-standing rivalry of their respective alma maters and have expressed looking forward to the Nov. 24 matchup between the two Big Twelve powers.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In NASA Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3, STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum (left) talks to Tomas Gonzalez-Torres, with NASA's Johnson Space Center, about the equipment he is handling. Next to Fossum is Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson. The crew is at Kennedy to take part in the crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with equipment to be used on-orbit. Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121, the second return-to-flight mission, is scheduled no earlier than May.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During the traditional post-flight walk-around after the landing of an orbiter, NASA Administrator Mike Griffin (right) congratulates STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum on the successful mission. Fossum participated in three spacewalks, along with Mission Specialist Piers Sellers, to repair and replace equipment. Next to Fossum are Pilot Mark Kelly, Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak and (behind Griffin) Commander Steven Lindsey. Discovery's smooth and perfect landing was on time at 9:14 a.m. EDT on Runway 15 of NASA's Shuttle Landing Facility after traveling 5.3 million miles on 202 orbits. Mission elapsed time was 12 days, 18 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds. The landing is the 62nd at Kennedy Space Center and the 32nd for Discovery. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ISS029-E-036135 (2 Nov. 2011) --- Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov (right) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, both Expedition 29 flight engineers, are busy at work in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station during rendezvous and docking activities of the ISS Progress 45 supply vehicle. Progress 45 docked at the Pirs docking compartment at 7:41 a.m. (EDT) on Nov. 2, 2011.

ISS029-E-036186 (2 Nov. 2011) --- Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov (right) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, both Expedition 29 flight engineers, are busy at work in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station during rendezvous and docking activities of the ISS Progress 45 supply vehicle. Progress 45 docked at the Pirs docking compartment at 7:41 a.m. (EDT) on Nov. 2, 2011.

ISS029-E-036167 (2 Nov. 2011) --- An unpiloted ISS Progress resupply vehicle approaches the International Space Station, carrying 1,653 pounds of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 926 pounds of water and 3,108 pounds of maintenance gear, spare parts, experiment hardware and resupply items for the residents of the space station. Progress 45 docked to the station’s Pirs docking compartment at 7:41 a.m. (EDT) on Nov. 2, 2011.

ISS029-E-036162 (2 Nov. 2011) --- An unpiloted ISS Progress resupply vehicle approaches the International Space Station, carrying 1,653 pounds of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 926 pounds of water and 3,108 pounds of maintenance gear, spare parts, experiment hardware and resupply items for the residents of the space station. Progress 45 docked to the station’s Pirs docking compartment at 7:41 a.m. (EDT) on Nov. 2, 2011.

ISS029-E-036185 (2 Nov. 2011) --- An unpiloted ISS Progress resupply vehicle docks to the International Space Station, carrying 1,653 pounds of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 926 pounds of water and 3,108 pounds of maintenance gear, spare parts, experiment hardware and resupply items for the residents of the space station. Progress 45 docked to the station’s Pirs docking compartment at 7:41 a.m. (EDT) on Nov. 2, 2011.

JSC2006-E-28428 (18 July 2006) --- Johnson Space Center's (JSC) director Michael L. Coats speaks from a lectern in Ellington Field's Hangar 276 near JSC during the STS-121 crew return ceremonies. Seated from the left are astronauts Steven W. Lindsey, commander; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist; NASA associate administrator Rex Geveden; astronauts Lisa M. Nowak, Stephanie D. Wilson and Piers J. Sellers, mission specialists. Photo credit: NASA

STS121-S-065 (17 July 2006) --- Dr. Michael Griffin (right), NASA Administrator, talks with STS-121 crew members (L to R) Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; Lisa M. Nowak, mission specialist; and Steven W. Lindsey, commander, after the landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery and conclusion of mission STS-121. The crew of seven tested new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

STS121-S-067 (17 July 2006) --- (left to right) William H. Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations; Rex Geveden, associate administrator; and Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA administrator, welcome home STS-121 crewmembers--Steven Lindsey, commander; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; and Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist--after the landing of the Space Shuttle Discovery and conclusion of mission STS-121. The crew of seven tested new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

ISS028-E-015885 (10 July 2011) --- In the Quest airlock of the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Rex Walheim, STS-135 mission specialist, checks out the extravehicular mobile unit space suits designated for duty on a spacewalk less than 48 hours away. Expedition 28 crewmembers Michael Fossum and Ron Garan, whose suit bears red stripes and is the one Walheim is checking at the moment, will be inside the suits for the spacewalk, scheduled to begin in the morning of July 12.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum completes the fitting of his launch suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. On the 12-day mission, the crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station. This mission is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

S121-E-06217 (10 July 2006) --- Astronaut Piers J. Sellers, STS-121 mission specialist, works in the Space Shuttle Discovery's cargo bay during the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During today's six-hour 47-minute spacewalk, Sellers and astronaut Michael E. Fossum (out of frame), mission specialist, restored the International Space Station's Mobile Transporter rail car to full operation and delivered a spare pump module for the station's cooling system.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum has donned his launch and entry suit in preparation for the simulated countdown he and other crew members will undertake. The crew is taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, including the dress rehearsal for launch. Mission STS-121 is scheduled to be launched July 1. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the STS-121 crew kneels for a photo with the vehicle crew. The crew members, recognized by the blue flight suits, are (left to right) Mission Specialists Piers Sellers and Michael Fossum, Commander Steven Lindsey, Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak, Pilot Mark Kelly and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson. The crew is at Kennedy for the crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with equipment they will use on orbit.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - During Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) in the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael E. Fossum familiarizes himself with the Portable Foot Restraint on the forward bulkhead of Atlantis. The Airlock is in the center. During CEIT, the crew has an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the orbiter and equipment they will be working with on their mission. Mission STS-121 is scheduled to launch aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis in July.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael E. Fossum practices using the Emergency Payload Door Closure Device. At right is Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak. STS-121 is the second Return to Flight mission. The crew is at KSC to participate in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT). During CEIT, the crew has an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the orbiter and equipment they will be working with on their missions. Mission STS-121 is scheduled to launch aboard Atlantis in July.

STS121-323-011 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Piers J. Sellers and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work in tandem on Space Shuttle Discovery's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) during the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA). Also visible on the OBSS are the Laser Dynamic Range Imager (LDRI), Intensified Television Camera (ITVC) and Laser Camera System (LCS).

S121-E-06679 (12 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, works in Space Shuttle Discovery's cargo bay during the mission's third and final session of extravehicular activity (EVA). The demonstration of orbiter heat shield repair techniques was the objective of the 7-hour, 11-minute excursion outside the shuttle and the International Space Station.

ISS013-E-48752 (6 July 2006) --- In the quest airlock on the International Space Station, two extravehicular mobility unit space suits await a busy day of spacewalking in a couple of days when astronauts Michael E. Fossum and Piers J. Sellers don them, marking the first of three planned sessions of extravehicular activity for the STS-121 crew.

S121-E-06189 (10 July 2006) --- Astronaut Piers J. Sellers, STS-121 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During today's six-hour 47-minute spacewalk, Sellers and astronaut Michael E. Fossum (out of frame), mission specialist, restored the International Space Station's Mobile Transporter rail car to full operation and delivered a spare pump module for the station's cooling system.

JSC2005-E-03861 (28 January 2005) --- Astronauts Lisa M. Nowak (left), Michael E. Fossum and Piers J. Sellers, all STS-121 mission specialists, attired in training versions of the shuttle launch and entry suit, await the start of an emergency egress training session in the crew compartment trainer (CCT-1). The CCT is one of several shuttle-training components located in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

ISS013-E-49644 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, used a digital still camera to expose a photo of his helmet visor during today's session of extravehicular activity (EVA) while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the International Space Station. Also visible in the reflections in the visor are fellow spacewalker Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist, Earth's horizon and a station solar array.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the STS-121 crew are at the SPACEHAB facility in Cape Canaveral to participate in a Crew Equipment Interface Test. On the top of the stand are Mission Specialists Piers Sellers (left) and Michael Fossum. This test allows the astronauts to become familiar with equipment they will be using on their upcoming mission. STS-121 is scheduled to launch in July aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

S121-E-06025 (8 July 2006) --- Astronauts Mark E. Kelly, STS-121 pilot, and Stephanie D. Wilson (partially out of frame), mission specialist, assist astronaut Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist, with the donning of his Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station prior to the start of the mission's first scheduled session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Mission Specialist Michael Fossum looks at the pump module at the SPACEHAB facility in Cape Canaveral during a Crew Equipment Interface Test. This test allows the astronauts to become familiar with equipment they will be using on their upcoming mission. STS-121 is scheduled to launch in July aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Mission Specialist Piers J. Sellers, Ph.D., (kneeling, left) and Michael E. Fossum (right) look at the adjustable grapple bar on the SPACEHAB Oceaneering Enhanced Deployable box. The astronauts of the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, were at the SPACEHAB facility in Cape Canaveral to participate in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT). This test allows the astronauts to become familiar with equipment they will be using on their upcoming mission. STS-121 is scheduled to launch in July aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis.

STS121-S-002 (5 April 2006) --- These seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-121 crew portrait. From the left are astronauts Stephanie D. Wilson, Michael E. Fossum, both mission specialists; Steven W. Lindsey, commander; Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany; and Lisa M. Nowak, both mission specialists. The crewmembers are attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suit.

STS121-S-006 (4 July 2006) --- The STS-121 crewmembers, having donned their shuttle launch and entry suits, wave flags for the Fourth of July as they prepare to board the transfer van awaiting to take them to Launch Pad 39B. Steven W. Lindsey (right front), commander, and Mark E. Kelly, pilot, lead the way. Other crewmembers - Lisa M. Nowak, Michael E. Fossum, Stephanie D. Wilson, Piers J. Sellers and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany - follow.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, members of the STS-121 crew take a close look at the wheels on Discovery, the launch vehicle for the mission. From left are Mission Specialists Michael Fossum and Piers Sellers. The crew is at Kennedy for the crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with equipment they will use on orbit. Launch of STS-121, the second return-to-flight mission, is scheduled for no earlier than May. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS121-S-061 (17 July 2006) --- The STS-121 crew addresses greeters in front of the Space Shuttle Discovery near the landing facility at Kennedy Space Center following NASA's second Return to Flight mission. From left to right are astronauts Piers J. Sellers, Stephanie D. Wilson, Mark E. Kelly, Steven W. Lindsey, Lisa M. Nowak and Michael E. Fossum.

STS121-S-059 (17 July 2006) --- The STS-121 crew poses in front of the Space Shuttle Discovery near the landing facility at Kennedy Space Center following NASA's second Return to Flight mission. From left to right are astronauts Michael E. Fossum, Lisa M. Nowak, Steven W. Lindsey, Stephanie D. Wilson, Mark E. Kelly and Piers J. Sellers.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During a crew equipment interface test in the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3, space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 Pilot Kenneth Ham (left) and Mission Specialist Michael Fossum look at cameras that will be used on the mission. Discovery will transport the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module (JEM-PM) and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System (JEM-RMS) to the International Space Station to complete the Kibo laboratory. The launch of Discovery is targeted for April 24. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum finishes putting on a glove during a fitting on his launch suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. On the 12-day mission, the crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the station. This mission is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

S121-E-06248 (9 July 2006) --- The STS-121 crewmembers gather for an in-flight crew photo in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. From the left (bottom) are astronauts Stephanie D. Wilson, mission specialist; Steven W. Lindsey, commander; and Lisa M. Nowak, mission specialist. From the left (top) are astronauts Piers J. Sellers, Michael E. Fossum, both mission specialists; and Mark E. Kelly, pilot.

JSC2008-E-009419 (31 Jan. 2008) --- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide (right), STS-124 mission specialist, dons a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit in preparation for a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center. United Space Alliance suit technician Carlos Ramos assisted Hoshide. Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist, is also visible.

S121-E-06224 (10 July 2006) --- Astronaut Piers J. Sellers, STS-121 mission specialist, participates in the mission's second session of extravehicular activity (EVA). During today's six-hour 47-minute spacewalk, Sellers and astronaut Michael E. Fossum (out of frame), mission specialist, restored the International Space Station's Mobile Transporter rail car to full operation and delivered a spare pump module for the station's cooling system.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the STS-121 crew pose with workers in the SPACEHAB facility in Cape Canaveral during the Crew Equipment Interface Test. The astronauts (in blue suits) are Mission Specialists Piers Sellers and Michael Fossum, Pilot Mark Kelly and Commander Steven Lindsey. This test allows the astronauts to become familiar with equipment they will be using on their upcoming mission. STS-121 is scheduled to launch in July aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

From left; Catherine Coleman, NASA Flight Engineer, Dmitry Kondratyev, Soyuz Commander, Paolo Nespoli, Italian astronaut and Flight Engineer, Michael Fossum, Expedition 26 back up crew member, Anatoly Ivanishin, Expedition 26 back up crew member and Satoshi Furukawa, Expedition 26 back up crew member are seen at the State Commission meeting held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

S121-E-06073 (8 July 2006) --- Using Space Shuttle Discovery's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) for maneuvering, astronauts Piers J. Sellers (red stripes) and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, work on the S0 Truss of the International Space Station. The 7 hour 31 minute spacewalk was the first of three scheduled EVA sessions for the STS-121 mission.

STS121-E-079 (17 July 2006) --- The main landing gear of the Space Shuttle Discovery touches down on the KSC landing facility. Onboard are six of the seven astronauts who nearly two weeks earlier had lifted off from the nearby launch complex--astronauts Steven W. Lindsey, Piers J. Sellers, Mark E. Kelly, Michael E. Fossum, Stephanie D. Wilson and Lisa M. Nowak. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter remained aboard the International Space Station.

ISS013-E-49446 (9 July 2006) --- The STS-121 crewmembers gather for an in-flight crew photo in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. From the left (bottom) are astronauts Stephanie D. Wilson, mission specialist; Steven W. Lindsey, commander; and Lisa M. Nowak, mission specialist. From the left (top) are astronauts Piers J. Sellers, Michael E. Fossum, both mission specialists; and Mark E. Kelly, pilot.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum looks underneath the replacement trailing umbilical system reel assembly that will be installed on the International Space Station. He and other crew members -- Commander Steven Lindsey, Pilot Mark Kelly and Mission Specialists Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson and Piers Sellers -- are at Kennedy to take part in the crew equipment interface test (CEIT).

ISS013-E-49681 (8 July 2006) --- The shadows of astronauts Piers J. Sellers and Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialists, who are anchored to the Space Shuttle Discovery's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) foot restraint, are visible against a shuttle's payload bay door during today's session of extravehicular activity (EVA).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum is helped with the communication device he wears under his helmet during suitup for launch today on Space Shuttle Discovery. The launch is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

JSC2007-E-48226 (28 Sept. 2007) --- Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, astronauts Karen L. Nyberg (left), Michael E. Fossum and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Akihiko Hoshide, all STS-124 mission specialists, await the start of a training session in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - While STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum (center) fixes his glove, Commander Steven Lindsey (left) and Mission Specialist Piers Sellers (right) talk about their next step in the Crew Equipment Interface Test at the SPACEHAB facility in Cape Canaveral. This test allows the astronauts to become familiar with equipment they will be using on their upcoming mission. STS-121 is scheduled to launch in July aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum takes his turn in an M-113, which is an armored personnel carrier. The STS-121 crew is taking turns driving the M-113 as part of Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training from the pad and a simulated countdown. Mission STS-121 is designated for launch on July 1. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Expedition 26 Flight Engineer, left, answers a question as Michael Fossum, Expedition 26 back up crew member and Anatoly Ivanishin, Expedition 26 back up crew member, right, look on during the State Commission press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-121 Mission Specialist Michael Fossum arrives at KSC aboard a T-38 jet aircraft to get ready for launch on July 1. The launch will be his first space flight. During the 12-day mission, the STS-121 crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as deliver supplies and make repairs to the International Space Station. This mission is the 115th shuttle flight and the 18th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, TEXAS -- STS121-S-002 -- These six astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-121 crew portrait. From the left are astronauts Stephanie D. Wilson, Michael E. Fossum, both mission specialists; Steven W. Lindsey, commander; Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist; Mark E. Kelly, pilot; and Lisa M. Nowak, mission specialist. Photo Credit: NASA/JSC

ISS013-E-49639 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Piers J. Sellers, STS-121 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the International Space Station. Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, mission specialist, who was also on the spacewalk with Sellers and took this photo, appears as a small reflection in Seller's helmet visor. Earth's horizon and a portion of a station solar array are also visible in the reflection.

JSC2007-E-48215 (28 Sept. 2007) --- Astronauts Gregory E. Chamitoff (left), Expedition 17 flight engineer; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Akihiko Hoshide and Michael E. Fossum, both STS-124 mission specialists, participate in a training session in one of the full-scale trainers in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at Johnson Space Center. Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, the three are seated on the middeck for a post insertion training session.

From left; Catherine Coleman, NASA Flight Engineer, Dmitry Kondratyev, Soyuz Commander, Paolo Nespoli, Italian astronaut and Flight Engineer, Michael Fossum, Expedition 26 back up crew member, Anatoly Ivanishin, Expedition 26 back up crew member and Satoshi Furukawa, Expedition 26 back up crew member are seen at the State Commission press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

S121-E-06388 (8 July 2006) --- The shadows of astronauts Piers J. Sellers and Michael E. Fossum, two STS-121 mission specialists who are anchored to the Space Shuttle Discovery's Remote Manipulator System/Orbiter Boom Sensor System (RMS/OBSS) foot restraint, are visible against the port pod for the Orbital Maneuvering System on the shuttle. Photo credit: NASA

ISS013-E-49645 (8 July 2006) --- Astronaut Michael E. Fossum, STS-121 mission specialist, used a digital still camera to expose a photo of his helmet visor during today's session of extravehicular activity (EVA) while Space Shuttle Discovery was docked with the International Space Station. Also visible in the reflections in the visor are fellow spacewalker Piers J. Sellers, mission specialist, Earth's horizon and a station solar array.