These are the six American members of the Columbia shuttle crew (according to their rank in the crew)
The Columbia team - from the right: Ramon, McCall, Anderson, Chavala, Salton-Clark, Hasband and Brown
* Rick Husband: Crew Chief, Ben. 45 left a wife and two children. He was a pilot in the US Air Force, and had a lot of experience in flying. In 1994, NASA chose him as an astronaut. Until recently, he also served as the head of the Astronaut Safety Office at NASA. In 1999, he served as a pilot in the crew that took off aboard the space shuttle Discovery, and assembled the first docking platform at the International Space Station. Accumulated experience of 235 hours flying in space.
* William C. McCul: A pilot, 41 years old, left behind a wife. In Colombia he served as a pilot and will operate experiments. He served as a test pilot in the US Navy. In 1996, NASA chose him as an astronaut. Has a master's degree in computer science and an additional master's degree in aeronautical engineering. The US Navy awarded him two Commendation Medals and two "Medals for Achievements". This was his first space flight.
* Michael P. Anderson: A cargo commander and mission specialist, a 43-year-old lieutenant-colonel in the US Air Force, was responsible for the success of the experiments carried out on the shuttle and participated in its operation. He left behind a wife. Has a master's degree in physics. His experience in the US Air Force includes 3,000 flight hours. In 1995 he started the astronaut training program. In January 1998, he was one of eight crew members who arrived with a shuttle to the Russian Mir space station (which ceased operations about two years ago). Accumulated more than 211 hours in space.
* Kalpana Chavala: Mission Specialist No. 2, 41 years old. Dr. Chavala was a space engineer by training. Born and raised in India, she moved to the US in the early 80s. Chawala was a certified pilot instructor. In 1988, she began working at NASA's Ames Research Center. In 1995 she was chosen as an astronaut. Was assigned as a team representative to work on technical issues in the spacewalk office and the robotics and computing branch. Her first flight into space was on November 19, 1997. She then served as a mission specialist and as the main operator of a robotic arm that came out of the shuttle, and was used for walking. Chavala has 376 hours of experience in space.
* Laurel Blair Salton Clark: Mission Specialist #4, 41 years old, left behind a husband and a child. Has a bachelor's degree in zoology and a doctorate in medicine. Worked in the US Navy from 1987 and won three commendation marks from the Navy and a "National Defense Medal". She was a flight systems analyst. She joined NASA in 1996 and after two years of training was appointed a "mission specialist". In the shuttle Columbia participated in the operation of the shuttle and performed experiments. It was her first flight.
* David M. Brown: Mission expert #1, 46 years old, with a bachelor's degree in biology, and a doctorate in medicine. In Colombia he was responsible for operating the shuttle, and performed experiments. This was his first flight into space. Brown belonged to the US Navy, and worked there as a flight systems analyst and test pilot. His training at NASA began in 1996.
