WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

STS-89 Mission Specialist Andrew Thomas, Ph.D., poses at KSC's Launch Pad 39A wearing a miniature koala bear on the day before the scheduled launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour that will carry him up to the Russian Space Station Mir. Final preparations are under way toward liftoff on Jan. 22 on the eighth mission to dock with Mir. After docking, Dr. Thomas will transfer to the space station, succeeding David Wolf, M.D., who will return to Earth aboard Endeavour. Dr. Thomas, who was born and educated in South Australia, will live and work on Mir until June. STS-89 is scheduled for liftoff at 9:48 p.m. EST.