Pennsylvania’s veteran space flier Steve Frick will command space shuttle Atlantis during its upcoming STS-122 mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis is targeted to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Dec. 6.
Navy Cmdr. Frick is one of seven astronauts who will deliver the European Space Agency’s Columbus laboratory to the station. He considers Gibsonia, Pa., where he was raised and attended high school, his hometown. Atlantis also will return to Earth Flight Engineer Dan Tani, who has lived and worked aboard the station for almost two months. Tani was born in Ridley Park, Pa.
Pennsylvania journalists interested in covering the launch of Atlantis at Kennedy must request credentials by Nov. 21. Media should submit requests online at:
Frick received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., in 1986. He earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif. Frick was selected to the NASA astronaut corps in 1996. He made his first spaceflight as the pilot of shuttle Atlantis in November 1994 on the STS-110 mission to the station.
For Frick’s biography, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/frick.html
Mission news conferences and briefings air on NASA Television. For NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling information, visit:
For the latest information about the STS-122 mission and crew, visit:
