Several new astronauts are Amateur Radio licensees

After 18 months of intense training, NASA's latest astronaut candidates now are officially astronauts, and several already are Amateur Radio licensees. The class of 11, including three educator astronauts selected from teachers across the nation, received NASA Astronaut pins in a graduation ceremony February 10. This is NASA's first astronaut class focused from the start on realizing the Vision for Space Exploration, America's long-term exploration strategy that includes extending a human presence across the solar system. Their training has included water and land survival courses, T-38 flight instruction and space shuttle and International Space Station systems training as well as numerous qualifying exams and flight evaluations. The new astronauts' immediate duties include support roles in the space shuttle and space station programs. The new astronauts and their work assignments are: Mission Specialist-Educator Joe Acaba, KE5DAR, Mission Specialist-Educator Richard Arnold, KE5DAU, and Mission Specialist-Educator Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, KE5DAT--all Space station branch and education; Pilot Randy Bresnik, Space station branch; Mission Specialist Christopher Cassidy, Space station operations branch and CapCom branch; Pilot James Dutton, Exploration branch; Mission Specialist Jose Hernandez, KE5DAV, Shuttle branch; Mission Specialist Shane Kimbrough, Safety branch; Mission Specialist Thomas Marshburn, Space station and exploration branch; Mission Specialist Robert Satcher, Robotics branch and space station branch, and Mission Specialist Shannon Walker, KD5DXB, Space station operations branch and CapCom branch. Three Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronauts trained alongside the NASA candidates and will join the rest of the corps. They are Mission Specialist Naoko Yamazaki, KE5DAS, Robotics branch; Mission Specialist Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI, CapCom branch and space station branch; Mission Specialist Satoshi Furukawa,
KE5DAW, Robotics branch and space station branch.--NASA

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