Discovery Astronauts Take Part In Practice Launch Countdown

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - The crew of space shuttle Discovery's
upcoming STS-124 mission boarded the orbiter on the launch pad today
for a practice countdown simulation during the last major training
activity before Discovery lifts off on a critical mission to deliver
the largest space station component to the orbiting complex, the
Japanese Kibo Pressurized Module.

Commander Mark Kelly, along with pilot Ken Ham and mission specialists
Ron Garan, Karen Nyberg, Gregory Chamitoff and Japanese astronaut
Akihiko Hoshide awoke early this morning for breakfast and donning
their launch and entry suits before heading to Launch Complex 39-A at
7:45 a.m. EDT.

The countdown ended at 11 a.m. with a simulated launch pad abort and
emergency egress from the Discovery.

The complete article with video available at:
http://www.spacearium.com/article.ph...80510155718971