Discovery astronauts practice countdown

A tweet from @Nasa today reported "The STS-128 crew is aboard Discovery this morning for a practice launch. They'll do everything as if it were a real launch - except launch."

This was a Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT, which gives the astronauts, mission control and ground crew a chance to simulate launch day time lines, practices and procedures.

The test includes a simulated ignition and automated shutdown of the orbiter's main engines. In the final seconds of the countdown the clocks stop to simulate a shutdown of the three main engines. Typically this allows for practice of emergency egress procedures.

None of the STS-128 crew members are named "Max" and there are no reports of any of them befriending any robots recently.