The astronauts and ground crews for Discovery's upcoming mission to the International Space Station have begun a full dress-rehearsal for the space shuttle's launch, now expected between July 1 and July 19, NASA announced Monday. The rehearsal activities will continue until Thursday.
The rehearsals are intended to provide the shuttle crew with an opportunity to participate in various simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training, NASA said in a news release.
Crew members taking part in the rehearsals for mission STS-121 include commander Steve Lindsey, pilot Mark Kelly, mission specialists Mike Fossum, Lisa Nowak, Stephanie Wilson, Piers Sellers and Thomas Reiter, the ESA astronaut who will remain aboard the station after Discovery departs and expand its crew to three members for the first time since the spring of 2003.
