To: STATE EDITORS Contact: Katherine Trinidad, NASA Headquarters, Washington, +1- 202-358-3749, katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov, or Candrea Thomas, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Fla., +1-321-867-2468, candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Oct.

To: TECHNOLOGY EDITORS Contact: John Yembrick, Headquarters, Washington, +1-202-358- 0602, John.yembrick-1@nasa.gov; or James Hartsfield, Johnson Space Center, Houston, +1-281-483-5111, james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov, both of NASA WASHINGTON, Nov.

By Williams, Jean A Joan Higginbotham had her feet planted firmly on the ground. Then NASA called. They wanted to know if she was interested in becoming an astronaut.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA has assigned the space shuttle crew for Endeavour's STS-126 mission, targeted for launch in September 2008. The flight will deliver equipment to the International Space Station that will enable larger crews to reside aboard the complex.

NASA astronaut Joan E. Higginbotham returns home to Chicago May 21-26 to celebrate the completion of her first spaceflight.