Commander George Zamka is first to board and be seating inside Endeavour. First-time flier, Pilot Terry Virts, Mission Specialists Kathryn Hire, Stephen Robinson, Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken are next to be strapped securely in their seats.
Communication checks are being conducted between the astronauts, the Mission Control Center in Houston and the Launch Control Center at Kennedy, as each takes their seat.
When all the crew members are seated, the Closeout Crew will close the hatch, pressurize the crew cabin and check for leaks, then finish remaining work inside the pad’s White Room before departing.
Astronaut Chris Ferguson is flying weather reconnaissance in the Shuttle Training Aircraft keeping mission control informed of current conditions at Kennedy Space Center.