CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits and check the fit of their helmets and gloves before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. Pilot Eric Boe, seen here, last piloted space shuttle Endeavour during its STS-126 mission back in 2008. Scheduled to lift off Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station. For more information on the STS-133 mission, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2011-1602

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- STS-116 Pilot William Oefelein (left) and Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang are greeted by Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) at the Shuttle Landing Facility. The STS-116 crew has returned to KSC for the terminal countdown demonstration test, which are pre-launch preparations that include a simulated launch countdown. The crew also includes Commander Mark Polansky, Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick, Robert Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham and Flight Engineer Sunita Williams, joining Expedition 14 in progress. The mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-06pd2509

STS051-17-036 - STS-051 - Readdy and Culbertson wearing purple one piece suits

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Prior to the third launch attempt on mission STS-121, Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter is helped with his helmet during suitup before heading to Launch Pad 39B. The July 2 launch attempt was scrubbed due to the presence of showers and thunderstorms within the surrounding area of the launch site. The launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121 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 KSC-06pd1389A

Samokutyaev and Kondratyev in the SM during Progress 42P Docking

S38-24-033 - STS-038 - Public domain NASA photogrpaph

VMS: F-Cab Comache Project configuration with Ron Gerdes pilot ARC-2002-ACD02-0034-10

Jim Grossmann KSC-2011-1602

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Summary

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the astronauts of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 crew put on their launch-and-entry suits and check the fit of their helmets and gloves before heading to the Astrovan for the ride to Launch Pad 39A. Pilot Eric Boe, seen here, last piloted space shuttle Endeavour during its STS-126 mission back in 2008. Scheduled to lift off Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station. For more information on the STS-133 mission, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Space Shuttle Program

The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.