Hans Schlegel climbs into the slidewire basket

ESA astronaut Hans Schlegel, from Germany, climbs into the slidewire basket for final training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in November 2007, in preparation for the STS-122 space shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The crew is participating in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, a standard part of launch preparations. The TCDT provides astronauts and ground crews with equipment familiarisation, emergency egress training and a simulated launch countdown. STS-122 will deliver European Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station.