Alan Poindexter left and Steve Frick congratulate each other on successful completion of practice shuttle landings in the shuttle training aircraft.

STS-122 Pilot Alan Poindexter (left) and Commander Steve Frick congratulate each other on successful completion of practice shuttle landings in the shuttle training aircraft. before the Feb. 7 launch of space shuttle Atlantis. The STA is a Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet that was modified to simulate an orbiter's cockpit, motion and visual cues, and handling qualities. In flight, the STA duplicates the orbiter's atmospheric descent trajectory from approximately 35,000 feet altitude to landing on a runway. Because the orbiter is unpowered during re-entry and landing, its high-speed glide must be perfectly executed the first time. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett