The Associated Press -->
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- It was family day for the astronauts Tuesday, and John Glenn spent it in the soothing company of his childhood sweetheart, Annie, and their two children.
With only two days remaining before liftoff, Mr. Glenn and his six crewmates had the afternoon off. They gathered with their immediate families for some R&R and a big barbecue dinner on the beach.
Astronaut James Wetherbee, director of flight crew operations, said the 77-year-old Glenn didn't seem particularly exhilarated.
"Excited might be the wrong word to use because he's an astronaut. You know, astronauts are not very excitable. We're not typically emotional," Wetherbee said. "But you can tell he's in the prime of his life. He really enjoys what he's doing. He's looking forward to it. He's honored to be selected to do it again a second time."
There's no mistaking this man has flown in space before, Wetherbee said.
"He has a little bit different job this time as a science payload specialist, but you can tell when you watch him operate he's an astronaut," he said.
The first American to orbit the Earth, back in 1962, and his six shuttle crewmates spent the morning trying on their bulky, orange spacesuits in one last fit check. Underneath they wore blue long underwear with tubes stitched into the material; cool water flowing through the tubes helps the astronauts stay comfortable while awaiting liftoff.
"The whole suit operation's a little different," Glenn told technicians helping him into the outfit. The silver Mercury suit was a lot simpler, tighter and weighed less.
All seven crew members also took one last medical exam -- and all seven passed, Wetherbee said.
As for the rest of the countdown, NASA fell a little behind because of a few minor technical problems. A power pack in the hazardous gas detection system malfunctioned and had to be replaced, and a leaky valve in a ground oxygen vent line delayed oxygen sampling tests.
Shuttle test director Doug Lyons expected the launch team to quickly catch up. "We're in good shape," he promised.
