The STS-116 crew pause in their prelaunch activities to talk to the media at Launch Pad 39B.

The STS-116 crew pause in their prelaunch activities to talk to the media (foreground) at Launch Pad 39B. Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick has the microphone to answer a question. From left, the crew members are Commander Mark Polansky, Mission Specialists Joan Higginbotham, Robert Curbeam, Patrick, Christer Fuglesang and Sunita Williams, and Pilot William Oefelein. Fuglesang represents the European Space Agency. The mission crew is at KSC for the TCDT, which includes a simulated launch countdown. The STS-116 mission is No. 20 to the International Space Station and construction flight 12A.1. The mission payload is the SPACEHAB module, the P5 integrated truss structure and other key components. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than Dec. 7. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett