WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

The STS-111 crew pause before departing KSC for Houston. The crew spent time in the Space Station Processing Facility for training on the payload they will be transporting: The Mobile Base System (MBS). Standing left to right are Pilot Paul Lockhart, Commander Ken Cockrell and Mission Specialists Phillippe Perrin, with the French space agency CNES, and Franklin Chang-Diaz. During the mission, the MBS will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, or MSS. The mechanical arm will then have the capability to "inchworm" from the U.S. Lab Destiny to the MSS and travel along the Truss to work sites. The Expedition Five crew will be replacing Expedition Four. Launch of Endeavour on mission STS-111 is scheduled for April 18, 2002