Space Shuttle Orbiter Mock-up and Integration Laboratory in Building 9A, astronauts train in full-scale space shuttle orbiter forward crew compartments and in a 60-foot-long payload bay. Across the street is the Lunar Sample Building, Building 31A. The space shuttle crew training facilities include mockups, functional trainers, mathematical models compatible with various computer complexes and complete payload (experiment) simulators. The payload simulators emphasize the payload philosophy, operations, malfunctions, objectives or requirements. The training facilities are located either at the Johnson Space Center or at user locations. Several crew training facilities at the center can interface with payloads or experiments.
An orbiter 1-g trainer, a full-scale flight deck, a middeck, and a midbody (complete with payload bay) are used for crew training in habitability, extravehicular activity, ingress, egress, television operations, waste management, stowage and routine housekeeping and maintenance.

The shuttle mission simulator contains full-fidelity forward and aft crew stations. In this computer-controlled simulator, mathematical models of systems, consistent with flight dynamics, drive the crew station displays. Used for training on combined systems and flight team operations, it can simulate payload support systems with mathematical models, remote manipulator system dynamic operations with computer-generated imagery, and Spacelab support systems by interfacing with the Spacelab simulator. The SMS can interface with the Mission Control Center for integrated crew/ground simulations.

The remote manipulator system task trainer consists of an aft crew station mockup, a payload bay mockup and a mechanically operated arm. It simulates payload grappling (in the payload bay), berthing, visual operations, payload bay camera operations and manipulator software operations. The user provides helium-inflatable models to simulate the payload geometrically. (NASA)