S91-32688 (Aug 1990) --- Astronaut Charles J. Precourt.

STS071-105-021 (27 June-7 July 1995) --- Astronaut Charles J. Precourt, STS-71 pilot, floats from the space shuttle Atlantis into Russia's Mir Space Station Kristall Module during the historic eleven-day flight involving a total of ten astronauts and cosmonauts.

STS084-318-035 (15-24 May 1997) --- Attired in the partial pressure launch and entry garment, astronaut Charles J. Precourt, commander, performs final checkout procedures prior to the re-entry phase of the STS-84 mission. The photo was taken with a 35mm camera by one of the Space Shuttle Atlantis' rear station-seated crewmembers.

S92-50647 (Dec 1992) --- Assisted by two SCUBA-equipped divers, astronaut Charles J. Precourt, mission specialist for the STS-55/D-2 mission, participates in bailout training at the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment and Training Facility (WET-F). Precourt is attired in a training version of the partial pressure Shuttle launch and entry garment. All seven prime flight crewmembers and the two backup payload specialists participated in the training session.

Retired NASA astronaut Charlie Precourt, vice president, propulsion systems, with Northrop Grumman, delivers remarks during the Apollo 11 50th Gala, presented by Northrop Grumman, inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on July 16, 2019.

Charlie Precourt, Vice President and General Manager, ATK Space Launch Division, gestures while speaking at a panel discussion on deep space exploration using the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft at the Newseum in Washington on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

The crew assigned to the STS-84 mission included (seated front left to right) Jerry M Linenger, mission specialist; Charles J. Precourt, commander; and C. Michael Foale, mission specialist. On the back row (left to right) are Jean-Francois Clervoy (ESA), mission specialist; Eileen M. Collins, pilot; Edward T. Lu, mission specialist; Elena V. Kondakova (RSA), mission specialist; and Carlos I. Noriega, mission specialist. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on May 15, 1997 at 4:07:48 am (EDT), the STS-84 mission served as the sixth U.S. Space Shuttle-Russian Space Station Mir docking.

The seven astronauts included in the STS-55 crew portrait are: (front left to right) Terence (Tom) Henricks, pilot; Steven R. Negal, commander; and Charles J. Precourt, mission specialist. On the back row, from left to right, are Bernard A. Harris, mission specialist; Hans Schlegel, payload specialist; Jerry L. Ross, mission specialist; and Ulrich Walter, payload specialist. The crew launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on April 26, 1993 at 10:50:00 am (EDT). The major payload was the German Dedicated Spacelab, D2.

The crew assigned to the STS-71 mission included (front left to right) Vladimir N. Dezhurov, Mir 18 crew download; Robert L. Gibson, commander; and Anatoly Y. Solovyev, Mir 19 crew upload. On the back row, left to right, are Norman E. Thagard, Mir 18 crew download; Gennadiy Strelalov, Mir 18 crew download; Gregory J. Harbaugh, mission specialist; Ellen S. Baker, mission specialist; Charles J. Precourt, pilot; Bonnie J. Dunbar, mission specialist; and Nikolai Budarin, Mir 19 crew upload. Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on June 27, 1995 at 3:32:19.044 pm (EDT), the STS-71 mission marked many firsts in human space flight history. It was the first U.S. Space Shuttle-Russian Space Station Mir docking and joint on-orbit operations, and the first on-orbit change out of a shuttle crew. In addition, it was the largest spacecraft ever in orbit and was the 100th U.S. human space launch conducted from the Cape.

STS091-379-015 (2-12 June 1998) --- Astronauts Charles J. Precourt (left) and Andrew S.W. Thomas reunite moments after hatch opening. Precourt, STS-91 mission commander, was joined on the visit of a Space Shuttle Discovery to Russia's Mir space station by four other astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut. Thomas, at the time of the picture, was a member of the Mir-25 crew. He later returned to Earth with Precourt and the rest of the STS-91 crew.

L-R: William Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for human exploration and operations; Charlie Precourt, Vice President and General Manager, ATK Space Launch Division; John Elbon, Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Space Exploration; Julie Van Kleek, Vice President, space programs, Aerojet Rocketdyne; and Jim Crocker, Vice President and General Manager, civil space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, participate in a panel discussion on deep space exploration using the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft at the Newseum in Washington on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

L-R: William Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for human exploration and operations; Charlie Precourt, Vice President and General Manager, ATK Space Launch Division; John Elbon, Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Space Exploration; Julie Van Kleek, Vice President, space programs, Aerojet Rocketdyne; and Jim Crocker, Vice President and General Manager, civil space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, participate in a panel discussion on deep space exploration using the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft at the Newseum in Washington on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

L-R: William Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for human exploration and operations; Charlie Precourt, Vice President and General Manager, ATK Space Launch Division; John Elbon, Vice President and General Manager, Boeing Space Exploration; Julie Van Kleek, Vice President, space programs, Aerojet Rocketdyne; and Jim Crocker, Vice President and General Manager, civil space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems, participate in a panel discussion on deep space exploration using the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft at the Newseum in Washington on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. Photo Credit: (NASA/Jay Westcott)

STS-84 Commander Charles J. Precourt adjusts the helmet of his launch and entry suit during final prelaunch preparations in the Operations and Checkout Building. This is Precourt’s third space flight, but his first as commander. Precourt and six other crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A, where the Space Shuttle Atlantis awaits liftoff during an approximate 7-minute launch window which opens at about 4:08 a.m. This will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. The exact liftoff time will be determined about 90 minutes prior to launch, based on the most current location of Mir

STS091-370-035 (2-12 June 1998) --- Astronaut Charles J. Precourt (left), STS-91 mission commander; and Talgat A. Musabayev, Mir-25 commander, reunite following hatch opening.

STS-84 Commander Charles J. Precourt arrives at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. Precourt will lead the six other crew members when they travel to Mir next month aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. STS-84 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale will be dropped off on Mir to become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth on Atlantis after about four months on the orbiting station. STS-84 will be the sixth Shuttle-Mir docking. Liftoff is targeted for May 15

STS-91 Commander Charles Precourt peers through an airlock like the one that will be aboard the orbiter Discovery when it docks with the Russian Space Station Mir on the ninth and final scheduled Mir docking in late May/early June. Precourt is in KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 for the STS-91 Crew Equipment Interface Test, or CEIT, during which the crew have an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the payloads with which they will be working on-orbit. The STS-91 crew are scheduled to launch aboard the Shuttle Discovery from KSC's Launch Pad 39A on May 28 at 8:05 EDT

STS055-203-009 (26 April-6 May 1993) --- The seven crew members who spent 10 days aboard the space shuttle Columbia pose for the traditional in-flight portrait in the Spacelab D-2 Science Module. Front, left to right, are Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, Steven R. Nagel, Ulrich Walter and Charles J. Precourt. In the rear are (left to right) Bernard A. Harris Jr., Hans Schlegel and Jerry L. Ross. Nagel served as mission commander; Henricks was the pilot and Ross, the payload commander. Harris and Precourt were mission specialists and Schlegel and Walter were payload specialists representing the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR). Photo credit: NASA

STS091-360-014 (2-12 June 1998) --- Astronaut Charles J. Precourt mans the commander's station on the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Discovery during NASA's scheduled final rendezvous operations with Russia's Mir space station. The veteran astronaut holds checklists related to the rendezvous activities.

STS-91 Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt gets help with his flight gear from white room crew members Jean Alexander and Greg Lohning as he prepares to enter the Space Shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39A. White room crew member Dave Law is in the foreground

STS-84 Commander Charles J. Precourt talks to news media representatives and other onlookers during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at Launch Pad 39A. Two-time space flyer Precourt will lead the other six STS-84 crew members on the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. One of the crew members, C. Michael Foale, will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission. STS-84 is targeted for a May 15 liftoff

S92-49373 (8 Dec 1992) --- The seven prime flight crewmembers and two alternates assigned to support the STS-55\Spacelab D-2 mission pose with their science module. Left to right (front) are Steven R. Nagel, Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, Charles J. Precourt, Bernard A. Harris Jr., Ulrich Walter, Gerhard Thiele and Hans Schlegel; and (back) Renate Brummer and Jerry L. Ross. Nagel is mission commander; Henricks, pilot; and Ross, payload commander. Harris and Precourt will serve as mission specialists. Walter and Schlegel are scheduled to represent the DLR as payload specialists for the mission, while Brummer and Thiele will serve as alternates and fill supportive roles on the ground. The crew was photographed during a tour of the science module before its integration at Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, space shuttle astronaut and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 inductee Franklin Chang Diaz, at the podium, speaks during the induction ceremony. Shuttle astronauts Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, shuttle astronaut Charlie Precourt speaks after being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Kevin Chilton also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS-91 Commander Charles Precourt inspects the windows of the cockpit from inside of the orbiter Discovery during the Crew Equipment Interface Test, or CEIT, in KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2. During CEIT, the crew have an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the payloads with which they'll be working on-orbit. The STS-91 crew are scheduled to launch aboard the Shuttle Discovery for the ninth and final docking with the Russian Space Station Mir from KSC's Launch Pad 39A on May 28 at 8:05 EDT

STS091-358-011 (2-12 June 1998) --- In Discovery's airlock, astronauts Charles J. Precourt, mission commander, and Wendy B. Lawrence, mission specialist, look over a copy of the flight plan. The two were accompanied by three other astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut on a mission to link with Russia's Mir space station for the final time and to retrieve astronaut Andrew S.W. Thomas for return to Earth.

STS084-358-009 (15-24 May 1997) --- Astronaut Eileen M. Collins, STS-84 pilot, handles what appears to be an oversized space toy but is actually a lengthy roll of paper margin, separated from the main roll of messages just transmitted to the flight crew from ground controllers in Houston, Texas. Seated at the commander's station, astronaut Charles J. Precourt, commander, checks the latest transmission from a message device called Thermal Imaging Printing System (TIPS).

STS084-379-034 (15-24 May 1997) --- Two mission commanders greet and shake hands moments after hatch-opening on docking day, of the Space Shuttle Atlantis and Russia's Mir Space Station. Charles J. Precourt (left), STS-84 commander, and Vasili V. Tsibliyev, Mir-23 commander, along with their respective flight crews went on to spend several days sharing joint activities in Earth-orbit. This is the sixth Atlantis/Mir docking mission.

JSC2002-E-14064 (20 April 2002) --- Johnson Space Center’s (JSC) Director Jefferson D. Howell, Jr. (right), astronauts Michael J. Bloomfield, STS-110 mission commander, and Charles J. Precourt, astronaut office chief, exchange greetings at Ellington Field during the STS-110 crew return ceremonies.

STS091-362-005 (2-12 June 1998) --- Four of the seven STS-91 crew members check the morning mail on the mid deck of the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Discovery toward the end of the scheduled ten-day mission. Left to right are astronauts Charles J. Precourt, commander; Andrew S.W. Thomas, mission specialist; Dominic C. Gorie, pilot; and Janet L. Kavandi, mission specialist. The emergency escape pole, flown on all shuttle missions, runs across the top center of the frame.

STS084-376-005 (15-24 May 1997) --- Onboard the Core Module of Russia's Mir Space Station, the American Space Shuttle commander exchanges gifts with the Mir-23 crew. Astronaut Charles J. Precourt has just handed two picture albums, documenting several months of interface between the Americans and Russians, to cosmonauts Aleksandr I. Lazutkin (left), flight engineer; and Vasili Tsibliyev, commander.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, shuttle astronaut Kevin Chilton speaks after being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS084-357-015 (15-24 May 1997) --- Astronaut Charles J. Precourt (right), STS-84 commander, controls the rate of the Space Shuttle Atlantis' approach to Russia's Mir Space Station during rendezvous operations. Carlos I. Noriega (left), Elena V. Kondakova (bottom center) and an unidentified crew member (far left) crowd into the scene -- typical of the busy rendezvous in-cabin scenarios on all Mir-Atlantis missions.

S93-29860 (11 Feb 1993) --- The STS-55 crew poses for a group portrait next to the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Pad 39A. From left are mission specialist Charles J. Precourt; pilot Terence T. Henricks; payload specialist Ulrich Walter, mission commander Steven R. Nagel; payload specialist Hans Schlegel; payload commander Jerry L. Ross; and mission specialist Bernard A. Harris Jr.. The crew is at KSC for the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch.

In the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF), Charles J. Precourt, deputy manager of NASA's International Space Station Program, is interviewed by a reporter from a local television station. Representatives from the media were invited to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the launch of the first element of the Station with a tour of the facility and had the opportunity to see Space Station hardware that is being processed for deployment once the Space Shuttles return to flight. NASA and Boeing mission managers were on hand to talk about the various hardware elements currently being processed for flight.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, shuttle astronaut Kevin Chilton speaks after being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, space shuttle astronaut and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 inductee Franklin Chang Diaz, at the podium, speaks during the induction ceremony. Shuttle astronauts Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS055-S-089 (6 May 1993) --- The main drag chute on the Space Shuttle Columbia is almost fully deployed in this three-quarter aft view of the vehicle's runway landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Landing occurred at 7:30 a.m. (PDT), May 6, 1993. Onboard the spacecraft were astronauts Steven R. Nagel, Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, Jerry L. Ross, Bernard Harris Jr. and Charles J. Precourt, along with German payload specialists Hans Schlegel and Ulrich Walter.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, shuttle astronaut Kevin Chilton speaks after being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS-88 Mission Specialist Jerry L. Ross (left) and astronaut Charles Precourt pose for a photo during suiting up activities in the Operations and Checkout Building. STS-88 will be the sixth spaceflight for Ross, who is scheduled to perform three spacewalks on the mission. He and the five other STS-88 crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is poised for liftoff on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz, at left, Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt stand together after being inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

With an enthusiastic crowd of KSC workers wishing them a safe journey, the STS-91 crew walks out from the crew quarters in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building for their trip to Launch Pad 39A. Leading the group to the Astrovan are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt (left) and Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence. Pilot Dominic L. Gorie is directly behind Precourt, while Mission Specialists Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin are behind Lawrence. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS-91 Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt holds his arms up and smiles during the final checkout of his flight suit in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building. The test is conducted prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39A. He is on his fourth space flight and third trip to Mir. Precourt is a colonel in the Air Force and has more than 6,500 hours of flight experience in more than 50 types of civil and military aircraft. He will have overall responsibility for the mission and will perform the final docking with the Russian space station. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS-91 Mission Commander Charles Precourt (left) talks to Elena V. Kondakova and her husband, Valery Ryumin, a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency (RSA) and STS-91 mission specialist, at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). The STS-91 crew had just arrived at the SLF aboard T-38 jets in preparation for launch. Kondakova, also a cosmonaut with the RSA, flew with Commander Precourt as a mission specialist on STS-84 which launched on May 15, 1997. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 on Space Shuttle Discovery with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Pilot Dominic Gorie and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; and Janet Kavandi, Ph.D. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

With an enthusiastic crowd of KSC workers wishing them a safe journey, the STS-91 crew walks out from the crew quarters in the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building for their trip to Launch Pad 39A. Leading the group to the Astrovan are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt (left) and Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence. Pilot Dominic L. Gorie is directly behind Precourt, while Mission Specialists Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin are behind Lawrence. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS-91 Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt (Col., USAF) arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet. He is here to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), a dress rehearsal for launch. The STS-91 launch is targeted for June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will conclude Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program. Although it will be the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, it will be the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery. Precourt is making his fourth space flight and third trip to Mir. The STS-91 mission will also be the first flight for the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Pilot Dominic Gorie and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living aboard Mir since January 25, 1998

STS071-122-013 (27 June-7 July 1995) --- Inside the space shuttle Atlantis' Spacelab Science Module, the crewmembers of STS-71, Mir-18 and Mir-19 pose for the traditional inflight portrait. For individual identification, hold picture vertically with socked feet of Anatoly Y. Solovyev at bottom center. Clockwise from Solovyev are astronauts Gregory J. Harbaugh, Robert L. Gibson, Charles J. Precourt, Nikolai M. Budarin, Ellen S. Baker, Bonnie J. Dunbar, Norman E. Thagard, and cosmonauts Gennadiy M. Strekalov (at angle) and Vladimir N. Dezhurov.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame astronaut Charlie Duke inducts shuttle astronaut Franklin Chang Diaz into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012. At the podium to the left, is CNN correspondent and Master of Ceremonies John Zarrella. Also inducted into the Hall of Fame were shuttle astronauts Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS055-26-023 (26 April-6 May 1993) --- Lightning and man-made lights on Earth can be seen in this fast speed, 35mm frame photographed by a STS-55 crew member in the Space Shuttle Columbia's cabin. The cluster of lights near frame center is believed to be from Mexico City. Onboard the spacecraft were astronauts Steven R. Nagel, Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, Jerry L. Ross, Bernard A. Harris Jr. and Charles J. Precourt, along with German payload specialists Hans Schlegel and Ulrich Walter.

STS055-S-052 (26 April 1993) --- A wide shot shows the STS-55 launch at the Kennedy Space Center. Carrying an international crew of seven and a science laboratory, the Space Shuttle Columbia was on its way for a nine-day Earth-orbital mission in support of the Spacelab D-2 mission. Onboard were astronauts Steven R. Nagel, mission commander; Terence T. (Tom) Henricks, pilot; Jerry L. Ross, payload commander; Charles J. Precourt and Bernard A. Harris Jr., mission specialists; along with German payload specialists Hans Schlegel and Ulrich Walter. Liftoff occurred at 10:50 a.m. (EDT), April 26, 1993.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, shuttle astronaut and Hall of Famer Robert “Hoot” Gibson, at right, greets shuttle astronaut and U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 inductee Charlie Precourt. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Kevin Chilton also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame astronaut Charlie Duke inducts shuttle astronaut Kevin Chilton into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 during the induction ceremony. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS084-704-015 (15-24 May 1997) --- Crewmembers from Mir-23 and STS-84 assemble for a group portrait onboard the Spacehab Double Module, as they tie a record (ten) for number of persons aboard a single orbiting spacecraft at one time. They are (from the left, front) Jerry M. Linenger, Vasili V. Tsibliyev, Charles J. Precourt, Aleksandr I. Lazutkin and C. Michael Foale. On the back row, from the left, are Edward T. Lu, Eileen M. Collins, Jean-Francois Clervoy, Elena V. Kondakova and Carlos I. Noriega.

S93-29851 (12 Feb 1993) --- Clad in their bright orange launch/entry suits, the STS-55 flight crew departs the Operations and Checkout Building for the Space Shuttle Columbia at Launch Pad 39A. Leading the way are Pilot Terence T. Henricks (left) and Mission Commander Steven R. Nagel; behind them are, from left, Mission Specialists Charles J. Precourt and Bernard A. Harris Jr.; Payload Commander Jerry L. Ross; and Payload Specialists Ulrich Walter and Hans Schlegel. This is the final portion of the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, a dress rehearsal for launch which culminates with a simulated T -0.

STS084-366-015 (15-24 May 1997) --- Crewmembers from Mir-23 and STS-84 assemble for a group portrait onboard the Spacehab Double Module, as they tie a record (ten) for number of persons aboard a single orbiting spacecraft at one time. They are (from the left, front) Jerry M. Linenger, Vasili V. Tsibliyev, Charles J. Precourt, Aleksandr I. Lazutkin and C. Michael Foale. On the back row, from the left, are Edward T. Lu, Eileen M. Collins, Jean-Francois Clervoy, Elena V. Kondakova and Carlos I. Noriega.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame astronaut Charlie Duke speaks during the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz, Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After landing Columbia on its return from mission STS-109 - servicing the Hubble Space Telescope -- Commander Scott Altman (left) talks with NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe. In the background is astronaut Charlie Precourt, who flew weather reconnaissance for the landing. Columbia returned to Earth the crew of seven after a mission elapsed time of 10 days, 22 hours, 11 minutes. Wheel stop occurred on orbit 165 at 4:33:09 a.m. EST. Main gear touchdown occurred at 4:31:52 a.m. and nose wheel touchdown an 4:32:02. It was the 58th landing at KSC out of 108 missions in the history of the Shuttle program

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame astronaut Charlie Duke spoke during the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony and recognized former shuttle launch director Bob Sieck. Space shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz, Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, space shuttle astronaut and Hall of Famer George “Pinky” Nelson shares a humorous story about shuttle astronaut and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 inductee Franklin Chang Diaz. Shuttle astronauts Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, space shuttle astronaut and U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 inductee Franklin Chang Diaz at right shares a humorous moment with Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame astronaut Charlie Duke during the induction ceremony. Shuttle astronauts Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

S94-47079 (18 Oct 1994) --- Astronaut Robert L. Gibson, (arms folded, near center) STS-71 mission commander, joins several crew mates during a briefing preceding emergency egress training in the Systems Integration Facility at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Astronauts Bonnie J. Dunbar and Gregory J. Harbaugh (partially obscured), along with cosmonaut Anatoliy Y. Solovyev, all mission specialists, are attired in training versions of the partial pressure launch and entry space suits. Astronaut Charles J. Precourt, pilot, is in center foreground, and Ellen S. Baker, mission specialist, is in left background.

STS084-S-009 (15 May 1997) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis brightens up the early morning sky at Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Complex 39 as it lifts off from Pad A at 4:07:48 a.m. (EDT), May 15, 1997. Onboard were astronauts Charles J. Precourt, Eileen M. Collins, Jean-Fran?ois Clervoy, C. Michael Foale, Carlos I. Noriega, Edward T. Lu and cosmonaut Elena V. Kondakova. Clervoy represents the European Space Agency (ESA) and Kondakova is with the Russian Space Agency (RSA).

STS-91 Mission Specialist Valery Ryumin with the Russian Space Agency, Pilot Dominic Gorie, Commander Charles Precourt, and Adam Flagan, a crew equipment trainer from Johnson Space Center, inspect a flight pack as part of Crew Equipment Interface Test, or CEIT, activities in KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2. During CEIT, the crew have an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the payloads with which they'll be working on-orbit. The STS-91 crew are scheduled to launch aboard the Shuttle Discovery for the ninth and final docking with the Russian Space Station Mir from KSC's Launch Pad 39A on May 28 at 8:05 EDT

STS-84 crew members, from left, Mission Specialist Carlos I. Noriega, Commander Charles J. Precourt and Mission Specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy examine the tires of the Space Shuttle Atlantis after landing. Atlantis traveled about 3.6 million miles during the nine-day mission, which was the sixth of nine planned dockings of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. The mission also included the exchange of STS-84 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale for astronaut and Mir 23 crew member, Jerry M. Linenger, who spent the last four months on the Russian space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Boy Scout Troop 369 from Merritt Island, Florida presents the colors as Jennifer Fiore sings the National Anthem to open the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Space shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz, Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame astronaut Charlie Duke inducts shuttle astronaut Charlie Precourt into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Class of 2012 during the induction ceremony. Shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz and Kevin Chilton also were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

STS084-380-019 (15-24 May 1997) --- In the last minutes of joint activity between the STS-84 and Russian Space Agency (RSA) Mir-23 crews, ten astronauts and cosmonauts pose for an in-space portrait in the Space Shuttle Atlantis Spacehab Double Module (DM). For orientation purposes, photo should be held with clasped hands of Aleksandr I. Lazutkin (wearing Mir-23 suit) just below center. The flight engineer is flanked by similarly attired crew mates Vasili Tsibliyev, Mir-23 commander, on the left, and C. Michael Foale, cosmonaut guest researcher, on the right. The STS-84 crew members are, clockwise from the left, Jerry M. Linenger, mission specialist; Eileen M. Collins, pilot; Edward T. Lu, mission specialist; Jean-Fran?ois Clervoy, payload commander; Elena V. Kondakova and Carlos I. Noriega, both mission specialists, along with Charles J. Precourt, mission commander.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The STS-91 flight crew visits Launch Pad 39A from which they are scheduled to be launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on June 2 around 6:10 p.m. EDT. From left to right, they are Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency; Mission Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence. STS-91 will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

Proudly wearing red KSC Fire/Rescue hats, members of the STS-84 crew pause for a moment for a group photograph while participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities. From left, are Mission Specialists C. Michael Foale, Carlos I. Noriega, Jean-Francois Clervoy of the European Space Agency and Elena V. Kondakova of the Russian Space Agency; and Pilot Eileen Marie Collins, Mission Specialist Edward Tsang Lu and Commander Charles J. Precourt. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission. STS-84 is targeted for a May 15 liftoff

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The abundance of water and marshes surrounding Launch Pad 39A becomes apparent from the vantage point of the Vehicle Assembly Building roof as the Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as an STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS-91 Mission Specialist Valery Ryumin, a cosmonaut with the Russian Space Agency, arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 on Space Shuttle Discovery with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; and Janet Kavandi, Ph.D. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

Technicians assist in moving the alpha-magnetic spectrometer (AMS-1) from its protective shipping case in KSC’s Multi Payload Processing Facility (MPPF). The STS-91 payload arrived at KSC in January and is scheduled to be flown on the 9th and final Mir docking mission, scheduled for launch in May. The objectives of the AMS-1 investigation are to search for anti-matter and dark matter in space and to study astrophysics. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. After docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will join the STS-91 crew and return to Earth aboard Discovery

Space Shuttle Discovery sits atop a mobile launcher platform at Launch Complex 39A after its move this morning from Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 1 where it was mated to the first Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank/solid rocket booster stack. Discovery will be launched on mission STS-91, concluding Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. This will be the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, but the first Mir docking for Discovery. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- With more than seven million pounds of thrust, the Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2 on its way to the Mir space station. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS084-S-010 (24 May 1997) --- The drag chute on the Space Shuttle Atlantis is deployed as the Space Shuttle touches down on Runway 33 of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). The landing, at 9:27:44 a.m. (EDT), May 24, 1997, brought to a completion the nine-day mission. This touchdown marked the 37th landing at KSC in the 16-year history of the Space Transportation System (STS) and it also marked the return of astronaut Jerry M. Linenger to Earth following almost four months aboard Russia's Mir Space Station. Onboard for the landing were astronauts Charles J. Precourt, Eileen M. Collins, Jean-Fran?ois Clervoy, Carlos I. Noriega, Edward T. Lu, Linenger and Elena V. Kondakova. Clervoy is with the European Space Agency (ESA) and Kondakova represents the Russian Space Agency (RSA).

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The alpha-magnetic spectrometer (AMS-1) is lifted in KSC’s MultiPayload Processing Facility in preparation for a move to the Space Station Processing Facility via the Payload Environmental Transportation System. The STS-91 payload arrived at KSC in January and is scheduled to be flown on the 9th and final Mir docking mission, scheduled for launch in May. The objectives of the AMS-1 investigation are to search for anti-matter and dark matter in space and to study astrophysics. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. After docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will join the STS-91 crew and return to Earth aboard Discovery

STS-91 Mission Specialist Wendy B. Lawrence arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 on Space Shuttle Discovery with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

The STS-91 crew partakes in the traditional breakfast in the crew quarters at the Operations and Checkout (O&C) Building prior to their suitup for their trip to Launch Pad 39A.They are (from left): Mission Specialists Janet Lynn Kavandi and Franklin R. Chang-Diaz ; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

Technicians supervise the closure of Discovery's payload bay doors from the Payload Changout Room at Launch Pad 39A as preparations for the STS-91 launch continue. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS091-718-012 (2-12 June 1998) --- The seven crew members of STS-91 assume a "star burst" pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. (For orientation, picture should be held with U.S. flag in upper left corner) Astronaut Wendy B. Lawrence, mission specialist, is at bottom center. Others are (counter-clockwise from Lawrence) Andrew S.W. Thomas, mission specialist; Charles J. Precourt, mission commander; Valery V. Ryumin, mission specialist representing the Russian Aviation and Space Agency; Janet L. Kavandi, mission specialist; Dominic C. Gorie, pilot; and Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, payload commander. A pre-set 70mm camera recorded the portrait.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Space Coast's natural foliage frames the Space Shuttle Discovery and the reflection of the intense heat and light of its liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as an STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Kennedy Space Center Director and Hall of Famer Robert Cabana speaks during the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Behind and to the right of Cabana is Apollo astronaut Walt Cunningham, and directly to the left is STS-1 shuttle pilot Bob Crippen, both Hall of Famers. Space shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz, Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

A technician observes the alpha-magnetic spectrometer (AMS-1) after it was removed from its protective shipping case in KSC’s Multi Payload Processing Facility (MPPF). The STS-91 payload arrived at KSC in January and is scheduled to be flown on the 9th and final Mir docking mission, scheduled for launch in May. The objectives of the AMS-1 investigation are to search for anti-matter and dark matter in space and to study astrophysics. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. After docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will join the STS-91 crew and return to Earth aboard Discovery

In the Space Station Processing Facility, (from left) David Bethay, Boeing/ISS Florida Operations; Charlie Precourt, deputy manager of the International Space Station Program; and Tip Talone, director of Space Station and Payload Processing, give an overview of Space Station processing for the media. Members of the media were invited to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the launch of the first element of the International Space Station by touring the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at KSC. Reporters also had the opportunity to see Space Station hardware that is being processed for deployment once the Space Shuttles return to flight. The facility tour also included an opportunity for reporters to talk with NASA and Boeing mission managers about the various hardware elements currently being processed for flight.

Space Shuttle Discovery sits atop a mobile launcher platform at Launch Complex 39A after its move this morning from Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 1 where it was mated to the first Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank/solid rocket booster stack. Discovery will be launched on mission STS-91, concluding Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, on June 2 with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. This will be the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, but the first Mir docking for Discovery. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS-84 Commander Charles J. Precourt, in right foreground, talks to fellow crew members, Mission Specialist Elena V. Kondakova, in left foreground, of the Russian Space Agency, and Pilot Eileen Marie Collins during Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at Launch Pad 39A. In the background are NASA suit technician Al Rochford, at left, and astronaut Mario Runco Jr., who is assisting the STS-84 crew. STS-84 will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, STS-84 Mission Specialist Michael C. Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission. STS-84 is targeted for a May 15 liftoff

Technicians observe the alpha-magnetic spectrometer (AMS-1) after it was removed from its protective shipping case in KSC’s Multi Payload Processing Facility (MPPF). The STS-91 payload arrived at KSC in January and is scheduled to be flown on the 9th and final Mir docking mission, scheduled for launch in May. The objectives of the AMS-1 investigation are to search for anti-matter and dark matter in space and to study astrophysics. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. After docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will join the STS-91 crew and return to Earth aboard Discovery

Members of the media (at left) were invited to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the launch of the first element of the International Space Station by touring the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at KSC. Giving an overview of Space Station processing are, at right, David Bethay (white shirt), Boeing/ISS Florida Operations; Charlie Precourt, deputy manager of the International Space Station Program; and Tip Talone, director of Space Station and Payload Processing at KSC. Reporters also had the opportunity to see Space Station hardware that is being processed for deployment once the Space Shuttles return to flight. The facility tour also included an opportunity for reporters to talk with NASA and Boeing mission managers about the various hardware elements currently being processed for flight.

The STS-84 crew pose for a photograph with members of the mission payload team in the Space Station Processing Facility. Dressed in their blue flight suits, from left, are Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale, Elena V. Kondakova of the Russian Space Agency, Pilot Eileen Marie Collins, Commander Charles J. Precourt, Mission Specialist Jean-Francois Clervoy of the European Space Agency, Mission Specialist Carlos I. Noriega and Mission Specialist Edward Tsang Lu. STS-84 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission. STS-84 is targeted for a May 15 liftoff

STS-91 Mission Commander Charles Precourt arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 on Space Shuttle Discovery with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Pilot Dominic Gorie and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir

Members of the media (at right) were invited to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the launch of the International Space Station by touring the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at KSC. Giving an overview of Space Station processing are, at left, David Bethay (white shirt), Boeing/ISS Florida Operations; Charlie Precourt, deputy manager of the International Space Station Program; and Tip Talone, director of Space Station and Payload Processing at KSC. Reporters also had the opportunity to see Space Station hardware that is being processed for deployment once the Space Shuttles return to flight. The facility tour also included an opportunity for reporters to talk with NASA and Boeing mission managers about the various hardware elements currently being processed for flight.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The last mission of the Shuttle-Mir program begins as the Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank.. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as a STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The alpha-magnetic spectrometer (AMS-1) is lifted in KSC’s MultiPayload Processing Facility in preparation for a move to the Space Station Processing Facility via the Payload Environmental Transportation System. The STS-91 payload arrived at KSC in January and is scheduled to be flown on the 9th and final Mir docking mission, scheduled for launch in May. The objectives of the AMS-1 investigation are to search for anti-matter and dark matter in space and to study astrophysics. The STS-91 flight crew includes Commander Charles Precourt; Pilot Dominic Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. After docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will join the STS-91 crew and return to Earth aboard Discovery

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Tree branches frame the Space Shuttle Discovery as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2 on its way to the Mir space station. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as an STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Space Coast's natural foliage frames the Space Shuttle Discovery and the reflection of the intense heat and light of its liftoff from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as an STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS091-718-010 (2-12 June 1998) --- Six plus one equals seven, as the STS-91 crew is joined by Andrew S.W. Thomas (second right, top row) for its traditional inflight crew portrait aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Thomas had earlier joined the NASA crew following a four-month stay aboard Mir. The crew includes: bottom, from the left, Charles J. Precourt, mission commander; Janet L. Kavandi, mission specialist; and Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, payload commander; and top, from the left, Dominic C. Gorie, pilot; along with mission specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Thomas and Valery V. Ryumin. Ryumin represents the Russian Aviation and Space Agency.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Kennedy Space Center Director and Hall of Famer Robert Cabana speaks during the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Behind and to the right of Cabana is Apollo astronaut Walt Cunningham, and directly to the left is STS-1 shuttle pilot Bob Crippen, both Hall of Famers. Space shuttle astronauts Franklin Chang Diaz, Kevin Chilton and Charlie Precourt were inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2012. The year’s inductees were selected by a committee of current Hall of Fame astronauts, former NASA officials, historians and journalists. The selection process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The last mission of the Shuttle-Mir program begins as the Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at 6:06:24 p.m. EDT June 2. On board Discovery are Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt; Pilot Dominic L. Gorie; and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence, Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, Janet Lynn Kavandi and Valery Victorovitch Ryumin. The nearly 10-day mission will feature the ninth and final Shuttle docking with the Russian space station Mir, the first Mir docking for the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery, the first on-orbit test of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. Astronaut Andrew S. W. Thomas will be returning to Earth as an STS-91 crew member after living more than four months aboard Mir

STS-84 Pilot Eileen Marie Collins participates in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) activities at Launch Pad 39A. Behind her is Commander Charles J. Precourt. TCDT is a dress rehearsal for the launch, which is scheduled May 15. STS-84 aboard Atlantis will be the sixth docking of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. After docking, STS-84 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale will transfer to the space station and become a member of the Mir 23 crew, replacing U.S. astronaut Jerry M. Linenger, who will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. Foale will live and work on Mir until mid-September when his replacement is expected to arrive on the STS-86 mission

STS-91 Pilot Dominic Gorie arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. STS-91 is scheduled to be launched on June 2 on Space Shuttle Discovery with a launch window opening around 6:10 p.m. EDT. The mission will feature the ninth Shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir, the first Mir docking for Discovery, the conclusion of Phase I of the joint U.S.-Russian International Space Station Program, and the first flight of the new Space Shuttle super lightweight external tank. The STS-91 flight crew also includes Commander Charles Precourt and Mission Specialists Wendy B. Lawrence; Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ph.D.; Janet Kavandi, Ph.D.; and Valery Ryumin, with the Russian Space Agency. Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., will be returning to Earth with the crew after living more than four months aboard Mir