At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the crew members of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 mission experience the interior of an M113 armored personnel carrier. From left are Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick; Pilot Terry Virts; Battalion Chief David Seymour, the M113 trainer; Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire; Commander George Zamka; and Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson.
An M113 is kept at the foot of the launch pad in case an emergency egress from the vicinity of the pad is needed. The crew members of Endeavour's STS-130 mission are at Kennedy for training related to their launch dress rehearsal, the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The primary payload on STS-130 is the International Space Station's Node 3, Tranquility, a pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station's life support systems. Attached to one end of Tranquility is a cupola, a unique work area with six windows on its sides and one on top. Endeavour's launch is targeted for Feb. 7. For information on the STS-130 mission and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts130/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett