* INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NEWS *

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NASA recently named the first team members to live and work aboard the 

International Space Station, and four crew members already hold amateur

radio operator's licenses.  In addition, several of the crew members are

studying for their licenses. 

The first crew will consist of American astronaut William M. Shepherd,

as the expedition commander.  Shepherd is currently studying for his

license.  He'll be accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and

Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR.  The crew is training for an early 1999 launch

and a planned five-month mission on the ISS. 

The second crew, headed by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachev, R3MIR, will 

include US astronauts Susan Helms, KC7NHZ, and James S. Voss, who's 

indicated an interest in getting his ham license.

No licensed hams are among the third crew, which will be headed by

astronaut Kenneth Bowersox and will include Russian crewmates Vladimir

Dezhurov and Mikahil Turin.  Bowersox also has said he'd like to get his

ham license.

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Onufrienko will head the fourth crew. US

astronauts Carl Walz, KC5TIE, and Daniel Bursch will accompany him.

AMSAT-NA's VP of Manned Space, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, reports that the

international team developing the ISS ham radio station is now working

hard to incorporate a transportable ham station for ISS, and deliver

this equipment to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas for flight

certification in June, 1998.  Initially, ISS crews will inhabit the service 

module, which will include a ham radio antenna, with ham gear scheduled to 

be delivered aboard the STS-96 shuttle flight.  Microsat/repeater payloads 

are tentatively scheduled to arrive in early 2002, expanding ham radio 

capability aboard the station.

[Info via the AMSAT News Service]