STS-88 crew members inspect the orbital docking mechanism in the payload bay of Orbiter Endeavour during the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), held in the Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at KSC. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads on which they will be working on orbit. STS-88 will be the first Space Shuttle launch for the International Space Station. Scheduled to lift off on Dec. 3, 1998, the seven-day mission will be highlighted by the mating of the U.S.-built Unity connecting module to the Zarya control module, which will already be in orbit, and two space walks to connect power and data transmission cables between the two modules
Location Kennedy Space Center, FL
Date July 14, 1998