KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Joyce and James Herrington, parents of John Herrington, accept a gift during a pre-launch Native American ceremony. They are the parents of John Herrington, mission specialist on mission STS-113. Herrington is the first Native American to be going into space.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Mr. and Mrs. Sean O'Keefe (center) pose with officials of the Chickasaw Nation. Second from left is Lt. Gov. Jefferson Keel with his wife, Carol (far left). Second from right is Gov. Bill Anoatubby with his wife, Janice (far right). STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington is a tribally enrolled Chickasaw and the world's first Native American astronaut. Kennedy Space Center hosted more than 350 Native Americans in STS-113 prelaunch events surrounding the historic mission assignment of Herrington.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Chickasaw Dance troupe member Tim Harjo (second from left) leads Joyce and James Herrington in a dance honoring their son, STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington. The dance was part of a Native American ceremony at the Rocket Garden in the KSC Visitor Complex commemorating Herrington as the first tribally enrolled Native American astronaut to fly on a Shuttle mission.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- TheTDRS-J satellite (left) and part of the fairing (right) are on display for the media before encapsulation. The satellite is scheduled to be launched aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas IIA-Centaur rocket from Launch Complex 36-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on Dec. 4. The third in a series of telemetry satellites, TDRS-J will help replenish the current constellation of geosynchronous TDRS satellites. The TDRS System is the primary source of space-to-ground voice, data and telemetry for the Space Shuttle. It also provides communications with the International Space Station and scientific spacecraft in low-Earth orbit such as the Hubble Space Telescope. This new advanced series of satellites will extend the availability of TDRS communications services until about 2017.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Chickasaw Nation Cultural Resources Director Haskell Alexander (left) presents a gift to Joyce and James Herrington, parents of John Herrington, mission specialist on mission STS-113. Herrington is the first Native American to be going into space.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- During an administrator's briefing at the IMAX 2 theatre, Lt. Gov. Jefferson Keel of the Chickasaw Nation (far left) presents a blanket with the seal of the Chickasaw Nation to NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe (second from right). Next to O'Keefe is Chickasaw Gov. Bill Anoatubby. Next to Gov. Keel is Mrs. Laura O'Keefe. STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington is a tribally enrolled Chickasaw and the world's first Native American astronaut. Kennedy Space Center hosted more than 350 Native Americans in STS-113 prelaunch events surrounding the historic mission assignment of Herrington.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-113 crew pause after a meal for a group photo. From left are Mission Specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington, Pilot Paul Lockhart and Commander James Wetherbee; plus the Expedition 6 crew, Nikolai Budarin, Commander Ken Bowersox and Donald Pettit. On mission STS-113, the astronauts will deliver the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Structure to the International Space Station. During the seven days Endeavour will be docked to the Station, three spacewalks will be performed dedicated to connecting the P1 truss to the port side of the S0 truss, already in place on the Station. This mission marks the 16th Shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the fifth Shuttle mission this year. Mission STS-113 is the 19th flight of the orbiter Endeavour and the 112th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington pauses in front of Space Shuttle Endeavour at Launch Pad 39A during a tour of Kennedy Space Center prior to his launch. Upon launch, Herrington will become the first Native American in space. The primary mission of STS-113 is bringing the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and returning the Expedition 5 crew to Earth. Another major objective of the mission is delivery of the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Assembly, which will be attached to the port side of the S0 truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install and activate the truss and its associated equipment. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-113 is scheduled for Nov. 11 between midnight and 4 a.m. EST.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-113 Mission Specialist John Herrington suits up for launch. Herrington will be making his first Shuttle flight. This is also the first launch of the first tribally enrolled Native American astronaut -- John B. Herrington -- on Space Transportation System. The primary mission for the crew is bringing the Expedition 6 crew to the Station and returning the Expedition 5 crew to Earth. The major objective of the mission is delivery of the Port 1 (P1) Integrated Truss Assembly, which will be attached to the port side of the S0 truss. Three spacewalks are planned to install and activate the truss and its associated equipment. Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-113 is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. EST.