Kirsten Larson
Headquarters, Washington, DC             March 26, 2001
(Phone: 202/358-0243)

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

RELEASE: 01-54

FINAL CREW MEMBERS NAMED TO HUBBLE OVERHAUL MISSION

     Three astronauts have been named to complete the STS-109 
crew already in training for a mission that will feature five 
spacewalks to upgrade NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in late 
2001. The space walking astronauts will install a powerful 
new camera, a more efficient set of solar arrays, a new power 
control unit and a device to mechanically cool an infrared 
science instrument.

Scott Altman, (Cmdr., USN), a two-time shuttle veteran, will 
command the STS-109 mission. He will be joined on the flight 
deck by pilot Duane Carey, (Lt. Col., USAF), making his first 
space flight, and flight engineer Nancy Currie (Lt. Col., 
USA, Ph.D.). Currie has three previous space flights to her 
credit.

They join the previously assigned crew members, payload 
commander John Grunsfeld, James Newman, Richard Linnehan and 
Michael Massimino. 

STS-109 will mark Altman's first flight as Commander, having 
previously flown as pilot on STS-90 in 1998 and STS-106 in 
2000. Currie, who brings extensive experience as flight 
engineer and robotic arm operator, flew on STS-57 in 1993, 
STS-70 in 1995, and STS-88 in 1998.  A space rookie, Carey 
was selected as an astronaut in 1996. 

Grunsfeld has flown three times, STS-67 in 1995, STS-81 in 
1997, and STS-103 in 1999 when he performed two spacewalks to 
service the Hubble Space Telescope. Newman, veteran of three 
space flights, STS-51 in 1993, STS-69 in 1995, and STS-88 in 
1998, has conducted four previous spacewalks. Linnehan flew 
on STS-78 in 1996 and STS-90 in 1998. Massimino is a member 
of the 1996 astronaut class.  

A complete list of all astronauts and their biographical data 
can be found on the Internet at the following website:

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

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