STS-93 Crew Members

Crew Members

Commander:    Eileen M. Collins
Collins is responsible for the overall success of the mission and the safety of the crew. She will also be responsible for an engineering test, referred to as the flycast maneuver, to assess the jet firing technique that will be used in September's Shuttle Radar Topography mission. This technique will be used on STS-99 to maintain the stability of a 200-foot radar mast which will tower above the cargo bay of the shuttle Endeavour.

Previous Space Flights:
Collins was the pilot on the STS-63 mission in February, 1995 and the STS-84 mission in May, 1997.

Ascent Seating:   Flight Deck - Port Forward
Entry Seating:     Flight Deck - Port Forward

Pilot:    Jeffrey S. Ashby
Ashby will be responsible for key shuttle systems during launch and landing, will lead any in-flight maintenance work which may be required and would serve as overall coordinator for any unplanned spacewalk which might be required. Ashby will also conduct a series of jet firings in an Air Force experiment in which an orbiting satellite will monitor the characteristics of jet plumes in space.

Previous Space Flights:
STS-93 will be Ashby's first flight.

Ascent Seating:   Flight Deck - Starboard Forward
Entry Seating:     Flight Deck - Starboard Forward

Mission Specialist 1:    Cady G. Coleman
Coleman's primary responsibility on STS-93 is the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. She will insure that all systems associated with Chandra and its Inertial Upper Stage booster are in readiness for deployment and that the telescope is ready to begin its five-year astronomical mission.

Coleman will also conduct a number of scientific and engineering experiments during the flight in the days following Chandra's deployment. Coleman would be one of the space walkers in the event an unplanned space walk is required during the flight.

Previous Space Flights:
Coleman's first flight occurred on the STS-73 mission in Oct./Nov., 1995.

Ascent Seating:   Mid Deck - Port
Entry Seating:     Flight Deck - Starboard Aft

Mission Specialist 2:    Steven A. Hawley
As flight engineer for Columbia, Hawley will be responsible for helping to monitor shuttle systems on the flight deck behind Collins and Ashby during launch and landing.

Hawley will assist Coleman and Tognini during the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. He will also be the primary operator of the Southwest Ultraviolet Imaging System, a small telescope which will be used to study the ultraviolet characteristics of planetary bodies.

Hawley will conduct other secondary experiments during the course of the five-day mission.

Previous Space Flights:
Hawley has flown four previous missions, STS-41D, in Aug./Sept., 1984, STS-61C in January, 1986, STS-31 in April, 1990 and STS-82 in February, 1997.

Ascent Seating:   Flight Deck - Center Aft
Entry Seating:     Flight Deck - Center Aft

Mission Specialist 3:    Michel Tognini
Tognini will back up Coleman during the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and would be the lead space walker in the event an unplanned space walk is required. In addition, Tognini will conduct a number of secondary experiments, including the operation of the Southwest Ultraviolet Imaging System and the shuttle's ham radio.

Previous Space Flights:
Tognini's first space flight occurred in July/Aug., 1992 when he was launched on a Russian Soyuz rocket to spend two weeks aboard the Mir Space Station conducting a number of French science experiments.

Ascent Seating:   Flight Deck - Starboard Aft
Entry Seating:     Mid Deck - Port

Main Index | Search | Contacts

Updated: 07/07/1999

Editorial/Technical Comments: ShuttlePresskit