Astronaut Charlie Plain gets settled in a seat with the help of United Space Alliance Insertion Tech Mike Thompson before a emergency landing of a shuttle crew.

Inside the orbiter mockup at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, volunteer "astronaut" Charlie Plain, with InDyne Inc., gets settled in a seat with the help of United Space Alliance Insertion Tech Mike Thompson before a simulated emergency landing of a shuttle crew. Known as a Mode VI exercise, the operation uses volunteer workers from the Center to pose as astronauts. The purpose of the simulation is to exercise emergency preparedness personnel, equipment and facilities in rescuing astronauts from a downed orbiter and providing immediate medical attention. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton