FIFTH INTERVIEW GROUP BEGINS ASTRONAUT SELECTION PROCESS



January 20, 2000



Doug Peterson
Johnson Space Center
(281) 483-5914

<h4>Release: J00-5</h4> <h3>Fifth Interview Group Begins Astronaut 
Selection Process</h3> 

The fifth of several groups of prospective astronauts will be at 
NASA&rsquo;s Johnson Space Center (JSC) the week of January 23 for 
orientation, interviews, and medical evaluations.



Approximately 120 of over 3,000 applicants will be interviewed for a 
chance to be among those named as astronaut candidates. The final 
selections for the class of 2000 will be announced early this year 
with the astronaut candidates reporting for duty in the summer.



This group of applicants includes: Paul R. Bernado, (Lt. Cdr., USN), 
Huntingtown, Maryland; Robert M. Blake, (Lt. Cdr., USN), Shelton, 
Connecticut; Eric A. Boe, (Maj., USAF), Shalimar, Florida; Roderick 
L. Cregier, (Maj., USAF), Henderson, Nevada; Harold D. Dillon, (Maj., 
USAF), San Antonio, Texas; B. Alvin Drew, (Maj., USAF), Hampton, 
Virginia; Scott J. Fisher, (Lt. Cdr., USN), Virginia Beach, Virginia; 
Douglas G. Gallagher, (Lt. Cdr., USN), Virginia Beach, Virginia; 
Susan L. Hallenbeck, Ph.D., Wilmington, Delaware; James R. Hartke, 
D.V.M., Ph.D., Westchester, Ohio; D. Keoki Jackson, Sc.D., Mountain 
View, California; Robert J. Johnston, (Maj., USA), Seabrook, Texas; 
William S. Leister, (Capt., USAF), Swansea, Illiniois; Patrick J. 
McGinnis, M.D., Friendswood, Texas; Troy E. Meink, Ph.D., Sandia 
Park, New Mexico; James F. Peters, Ph.D., Seabrook, Texas; Om 
Prakash, (Capt., USAF), Edwards, California; W. Spencer Reeder III, 
Boulder, Colorado; William J. Thornton, (Lt. Col., USAF), Stafford, 
Virginia; Dale A. Watring, Ph.D., Brownsboro, Alabama; and Barry E. 
Wilmore, (Lt. Cdr., USN), Edwards AFB, California.



Astronaut candidate selections are conducted approximately every two 
years with the number of candidates selected depending on Space 
Shuttle flight rates, Space Station requirements, overall program 
requirements and astronaut attrition rates. Following over a year of 
training, astronaut candidates can become full-fledged astronauts 
eligible for flight assignments.

	
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