As NASA prepares to bring its space shuttle fleet back into service, Scott Bakula has recorded introductions to the mission and crew for the space agency's web site.

Star Trek: Enterprise's Captain Archer introduces "Return to Flight", NASA's interactive look at the shuttle Discovery and its crew, led by veteran astronaut Commander Eileen Collins. Standing on the bridge of the NX-01, Bakula states, "After more than two years, the space shuttle fleet will return to flight, stronger and safer than ever. Astronauts will resume building the International Space Station, helping NASA create a future that makes tomorrow's science fact look like today's science fiction."

In addition to a mission overview and look at the shuttle systems, the web site features downloads including images of the shuttle and crew, plus several brief Macromedia Flash videos narrated by Bakula. "Just like the crew of Enterprise, Discovery's crew is a diverse mix of people with different, complementary skills," he notes in the crew section. "They 've trained hard for two years so that NASA's return to flight is as safe as possible and achieves its goals."

Collins, who will command mission STS-114 scheduled to launch in May, is featured in a profile as well at Florida Today. The site mentions that she was a Star Trek fan growing up, and that she also enjoyed Lost in Space and reading about Amelia Earhart and female pilots.

The upcoming Discovery launch, the first since the shuttle Columbia was destroyed, will test new safety features as well as visiting the International Space Station, where the crew will take part in three space walks, deliver several tons of supplies, and return with used equipment and scientific experiments from the station.

The main "Return To Flight" page is here, with the Flash interviews with Bakula beginning here. The interview with Collins is here. Thanks to Mike.

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