STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey is ready to take off from the Shuttle Landing Facility runway to fly in a Shuttle Training Aircraft.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey is ready to take off from the Shuttle Landing Facility runway to fly touch-and-go landings in a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). The Gulfstream II business jet is modified to mimic the shuttle's handling during the final phase of landing.

Space shuttle Discovery's crew members are at Kennedy for their upcoming launch to the International Space Station. In the days leading up to lift off, they will check the fit of their spacesuits, review launch-day procedures, receive weather briefings and remain medically quarantined to prevent sickness. STS-133 will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the orbiting outpost. For more information on the STS-133 mission, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts133/. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett