Mission Specialist Jerry L. Ross left climbs into slideware basket behind Mission Specialist Nancy Jane Currie.

STS-88 Mission Specialist Jerry L. Ross (left) climbs into slideware basket behind Mission Specialist Nancy Jane Currie, Ph.D., (right) at Launch Pad 39A as part of an emergency egress exercise. The crew are at KSC to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT) which includes mission familiarization activities, emergency egress training, and the simulated main engine cut-off exercise. Mission STS-88 is targeted for launch on Dec. 3, 1998. It is the first U.S. flight for the assembly of the International Space Station and will carry the Unity connecting module. Unity will be mated with the already orbiting Russian-built Zarya control module. The 12-day mission includes three planned spacewalks to connect power, data and utility lines and install exterior equipment