Astronaut Soichi Noguchi's Training Report for STS-114 Mission, #17

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi's Training Report for STS-114 Mission, #17

The night before the scheduled launch

Last Updated: July 27, 2005


We are back at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). There is a Japanese proverb
about the "Sunshine after the typhoon has gone." Just like that expression,
we are having very hot Florida-like weather much like that after a
hurricane.

In early May of 2005, we visited KSC for the Terminal Countdown
Demonstration Test (TCDT). Two months have since passed with a launch delay
in between. Both the Orbiter and her crew are better prepared than they were
two months ago, and now we are 100% ready and anxiously waiting for tomorrow
's launch. According to the count-down clock it is eleven hours before the
scheduled launch.

I was first assigned to this mission in April of 2001. This means we have
been in training for more than four years. There is an excitement of
experiencing the real launch, as well as, an indescribable feeling of
finally reaching this point. The 178 weeks of training we have gone through
is the longest on record for Space Shuttle training. There were 75 NBL
underwater tests and over 38,009 hours of training involving all seven crew
members.

The purpose of the STS-114 mission has changed from what it was prior to the
Columbia accident. These past several months have been a period of
continuing growing-pain like dilemmas with repetitions of very critical
decisions. For the astronauts, as well as for everyone who has been part of
this mission, there is a great feeling of satisfaction in overcoming the
variety of difficulties that we have encountered. "It is time to fly!" is
the common thought among us. It has taken a long time to prepare and now it
is time to execute the mission.


This is the last of my training reports. To close this report, I would like
to quote a slightly rearranged lyric by Makihara Noriyuki, my favorite
artist.

I always believe in my words only
This serene journey is ending soon
Hold "Dream" in my heart and I shall go
For I shall be a light for everyone who follows


July 12, 2005
At Kennedy Space Center
STS-114 MS1/EV1
Noguchi Soichi

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Jacques :-)

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