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Space Shuttle Astronauts Gain Fame

Hall to welcome 4 newcomers, including leader of Hubble launch mission

By Colleen Barry, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 11, 2008 1:20 PM CST

(Newser) – Four space shuttle pilots have taken one giant leap toward immortality, NASA announced this week: They'll make up the Astronaut Hal of Fame class of 2008. The inductees, who will be honored at a May ceremony, include the commanders who presided over the initial assembly of the International Space Station and the first mission dedicated to life sciences, Space.com reports.

Robert Cabana, who commanded the ISS launch, and Bryan O'Connor, whose mission performed numerous biomedical experiments, will join Loren Shriver, who was among the first crop of shuttle astronauts in 1978, and John Blaha, who once held the American men's record for time in space. New classes usually include two or three astronauts, but voting was so tight that this year's class was expanded.

Space Shuttle Columbia appears in a file photo after a landing at Kennedy Space Center, Tuesday , March 12, 2002, after an 11-day mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. (KRT Photos)

Hubble Space Telescope (Getty Images)

Astronauts Conducting Space Walk (Getty Images)

Hubble Space Telescope Repair (Getty Images)

Discovery Crew Holds News Conference After Drill (Getty Images)

Bryan O'Connor (Getty Images)

Space Shuttle Columbia Work on the Hubble Space Telescope (Getty Images)

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Space Shuttle Astronauts Gain Fame

Hall to welcome 4 newcomers, including leader of Hubble launch mission

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Endeavour Docks After New Damage Check

Shuttle docks without hitch but launch video shows possible bird hit

Endeavour Blasts Into Space

Shuttle will dock with space station tomorrow

Europe to Launch Space Truck

Automated vehicle can haul tons of supplies to space station

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Two spacewalkers attach a new room to international space station

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Engineers say ice chunk hit shuttle's underbelly, could endanger re-entry

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Hall to welcome 4 newcomers, including leader of Hubble launch mission

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

NASA • space • astronauts • space shuttle • International Space Station

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Endeavour Docks After New Damage Check

Shuttle docks without hitch but launch video shows possible bird hit

Endeavour Blasts Into Space

Shuttle will dock with space station tomorrow

Europe to Launch Space Truck

Automated vehicle can haul tons of supplies to space station

Astronauts Wire Up 'Harmony'

Two spacewalkers attach a new room to international space station

NASA Eyes Endeavor Damage

Engineers say ice chunk hit shuttle's underbelly, could endanger re-entry

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Newser By Users

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