The STS-107 crew. Seated in front are astronauts Rick Husband, commander, and Willie McCool, pilot. Standing are (from left) mission specialists Dave Brown, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Mike Anderson (payload commander) and payload specialist Ilan Ramon, representing the Israeli Space Agency. Photo: NASA.
 

Rick Husband, 45, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, was a test pilot and veteran of one spaceflight. He was commander of Columbia's STS-107 mission.

Husband received a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Texas Tech University in 1980 and a master of science in mechanical engineering from California State University-Fresno in 1990.

Selected by NASA in December 1994, Husband served as the pilot of STS-96 in 1999 -- a 10-day mission during which the crew performed the first docking with the International Space Station. Prior to this mission he had logged more than 235 hours in space.

William C. McCool, 40, a commander in the U.S. Navy, was a former test pilot. He was the shuttle pilot.

He received a bachelor of science in applied science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1983, a master of science in computer science from the University of Maryland in 1985, and a master of science in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1992.

Selected by NASA in April 1996, McCool was making his first spaceflight.

David M. Brown, 46, a captain in the U.S. Navy, was a naval aviator and flight surgeon. He was mission specialist 1 for STS-107.

Brown received a bachelor of science in biology from the College of William and Mary in 1978 and a doctorate in medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 1982.

Selected by NASA in April 1996, Brown was making his first spaceflight.

Kalpana Chawla was an aerospace engineer and an FAA Certified Flight Instructor. She served as flight engineer and mission specialist 2 for STS-107.

She received a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College, India, in 1982, a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas-Arlington in 1984, and a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1988.

Selected by NASA in December 1994, Chawla was the prime robotic arm operator on STS-87 in 1997, the fourth U.S. Microgravity Payload flight. STS-87 focused on how the weightless environment of space affects various physical processes. Prior to this mission, Chawla had logged more than 376 hours in space.

Michael P. Anderson, 42, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force, was a former instructor pilot and tactical officer, and a veteran of one spaceflight. He was the payload commander and mission specialist 3.

Anderson received a bachelor of science in physics/astronomy from University of Washington in 1981 and a master of science in physics from Creighton University in 1990.

Selected by NASA in December 1994, Anderson flew on STS-89 in 1998 - the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Prior to this mission, Anderson had logged over 211 hours in space.

Laurel Clark, 41, a commander (captain-select) in the U.S. Navy and a naval flight surgeon, was mission specialist 4 on STS-107.

Clark received a bachelor of science in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983 and a doctorate in medicine from the same school in 1987.

Selected by NASA in April 1996, Clark was making her first spaceflight.

Ilan Ramon, 47, a colonel in the Israeli Air Force, was a fighter pilot who will be the only payload specialist on STS-107.

Ramon received a bachelor of science in electronics and computer engineering from the University of Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1987.

Ramon was selected as a Payload Specialist by the Israeli Air Force in 1997 and approved by NASA in 1998. He reported for training at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston in July 1998 and will be making his first spaceflight.