Washington Astronaut Pilots Next Space Shuttle Mission

First time space flier Gregory C. Johnson, who was born in Seattle, will serve as the pilot on 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:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/

Johnson 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.

Johnson attended West Seattle High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Washington in 1977, and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in 1984.

For Johnson’s complete biography, visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/johnson-gc.html

For the latest information about the Hubble servicing mission and crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle