Emergency rescue personnel tend to an injured astronaut on a stretcher at the bottom of the steps to the orbiter mockup.

In a simulated emergency landing of a shuttle crew at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, emergency rescue personnel tend to an "injured astronaut" on a stretcher at the bottom of the steps to the orbiter mockup. 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/Kim Shiflett