August 7, 1996
Eileen Hawley

Release: 96-022

The Astronaut Class of 1996, including a contingent of international representatives who will help assemble the International Space Station, will report to the Johnson Space Center on Monday, Aug. 12 to begin a training and evaluation period. Their welcoming ceremony will be seen live on NASA Television.

Class members will be welcomed to the Johnson Space Center and introduced to reporters in a ceremony scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CDT Aug. 12. The candidates will be greeted by NASA managers and will then briefly introduce themselves to reporters. Photo opportunities and brief interviews with the astronaut candidates will be available for media present at the Johnson Space Center as time permits following the ceremony.

The 1996 class includes 35 NASA candidates as well as representatives from the Canadian, Japanese, Italian, French, German and European Space Agencies.

During their training, the astronaut candidates will receive orientation briefings and tours, as well as numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, and physiological training and ground school to prepare them for T-38 flight training. Class members also will learn water and wilderness survival techniques.

Media interested in attending the welcoming ceremony or interviewing any members of the 1996 Astronaut Class, should contact Eileen Hawley no later than 5 p.m. CDT Aug. 8 at (713) 483-5111. NASA TV can be accessed through GTE Spacenet 2,

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