Japanese astronaut Noguchi to ride on next NASA shuttle mission+
Posted on: Friday, 7 November 2003, 06:00 CST
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Kyodo) -- The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Friday it has completed the crew roster for the next space shuttle mission, which includes Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi.
NASA said three more astronauts to the list of four who had been training for the flight on the Atlantis space shuttle.
The Atlantis is scheduled to be launched in September 2004 at the earliest, becoming the first U.S. space shuttle mission since the Columbia breakup last February.
The three newly announced crew members are NASA astronauts Andrew Thomas, Wendy Lawrence and Charles Camarda. The four members already assigned to the Atlantis mission include Eileen Collins, NASA's first and only female shuttle commander, and Noguchi, a first-time flier.
The Atlantis mission was initially scheduled for next March or April, but has been postponed since the Columbia disintegrated on entering the atmosphere Feb. 1, killing all seven astronauts on board.
NASA said the Atlantis' major mission objectives have shifted from International Space Station logistics and crew rotation to testing and evaluating new procedures for flight safety.
Noguchi is expected to perform extravehicular repair activity key to preventing further space shuttle accidents.
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