WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

Four astronauts, who comprise the core crew for STS-102, listen to a launch and entry garment briefing by suit technician Lloyd Armintor in the Systems Integration Facility as they suit up for a contingency simulation exercise in preparation for next year's visit to the International Space Station (ISS). From the left are astronauts James D. Wetherbee, commander; James M. Kelly, pilot; and Andrew S.W. Thomas and Paul W. Richards, both mission specialists. The four will be joined by a cosmonaut and two other astronauts scheduled to share the "up" ride for a lengthy stay aboard the orbiting outpost. Then, they will bring back a threesome made up an astronaut and two cosmonauts who will have been onboard the station since early November 2000.