John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602
john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov
Kylie Clem
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 07-217
NASA ASSIGNS CREW FOR SPACE STATION ASSEMBLY MISSION
WASHINGTON -- 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.
Veteran space flier Navy Capt. Christopher J. Ferguson will command
Endeavour. Air Force Lt. Col. Eric A. Boe will serve as the pilot.
The mission specialists are Navy Cmdr. Stephen G. Bowen, NASA
astronaut Joan E. Higginbotham, Army Lt. Col. Robert S. Kimbrough and
Navy Capt. Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper. Boe, Bowen and Kimbrough
will be making their first spaceflight.
STS-126 will be the second spaceflight for Ferguson and
Stefanyshyn-Piper, who flew together on STS-115 in September 2006. It
also is the second flight for Higginbotham, who flew on STS-116 in
December 2006.
Endeavour will carry a reusable logistics module that will hold
supplies and equipment, including additional crew quarters, a second
treadmill, equipment for the regenerative life support system and
spare hardware.
A native of Philadelphia, Ferguson served as pilot of the shuttle
Atlantis for STS-115. He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical
engineering from Drexel University, Philadelphia, and a master's
degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate
School, Monterey, Calif. He was selected as an astronaut in 1998.
Boe was born in Miami and grew up in Atlanta. He has a bachelor's
degree in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy,
Colorado Springs, Colo., and a master's degree in electrical
engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. He was
selected as an astronaut in 2000.
Bowen was born in Cohasset, Mass. He has a bachelor's degree from the
U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., and a master's degree from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Bowen also was
selected as an astronaut in 2000. He was previously named to the
STS-124 crew but has been reassigned to STS-126. The change will
allow room for the STS-124 mission to rotate a space station
resident, who will be named later.
A native of Chicago, Higginbotham flew on STS-116. She has a
bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Southern Illinois
University, Carbondale, and master's degrees in both management and
space systems from the Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne.
She was selected as an astronaut in 1996.
Kimbrough was born in Killeen, Texas, and grew up in Smyrna, Ga. He
has a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S.
Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., and a master's degree in
operations research from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He was
selected as an astronaut in 2004.
Stefanyshyn-Piper was born in St. Paul, Minn. She conducted two
spacewalks on STS-115. She has a bachelor's and master's degrees in
mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. She was selected as an astronaut in 1996.
Video of the STS-126 crew members will air on NASA Television's Video
File. For downlink and scheduling information and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvFor complete astronaut biographical information, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/BiosFor more information about NASA's Space Shuttle Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
