Illinois Astronaut Commands Next Space Shuttle Mission
Veteran space flier Scott Altman, who was born in Lincoln, Ill., and considers Pekin his hometown, will command space shuttle Atlantis’ mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis is targeted to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Oct. 8 at 1:34 a.m. EDT.
To cover the launch of Atlantis on-site, U.S. reporters must request credentials for Kennedy by Sept. 22 and foreign reporters by Sept. 12. Media should submit requests online at:
Altman is one of seven astronauts who will fly on the space shuttle’s fifth and final servicing mission to Hubble. The 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to make repairs and upgrades to the telescope, extending its life into the next decade.
Altman attended Pekin Community High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois in May 1981, and a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in June 1990.
For Altman’s complete biography, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/altman.html
For the latest information about the Hubble servicing mission and crew, visit:
