INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATES JOIN 1998 ASTRONAUT CLASS



August 27, 1998



Debra Rahn
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone: 202/358-1638)



Doug Peterson
Johnson Space Center, Houston TX
(Phone: 281/483-5111)

<h4>Release: 98-155</h4> <h3>International Candidates Join 1998 
Astronaut Class</h3> 

A cadre of international astronaut candidates has arrived at NASA's 
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, to begin training as members of 
the 1998 Astronaut Class.



The international candidates, from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and 
Italy, will train as mission specialists for future Space Shuttle and 
International Space Station flight assignments.



"The Class of 1998 continues our international cooperation in space as 
we begin assembly of the International Space Station," said David C. 
Leestma, director of Flight Crew Operations. "We welcome our 
international astronauts and the entire class. They have a lot of 
work and a very exciting time ahead of them."



The international candidates are: Leopold Eyharts, Paolo Nespoli, Hans 
Schlegel and Roberto Vittori, European Space Agency; Bjarni V. 
Tryggvason, Canadian Space Agency; and Marcos Pontes, Brazilian Space 
Agency.



For complete biographical information on the astronaut corps, 
including these international candidates, see the NASA Internet 
biography home page at URL:



http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/

	
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