KSC-05pd-0571

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the 2004 class of astronaut candidates get a close look at the nose of Atlantis while touring the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1. Atlantis is being processed for Return to Flight mission STS-121 in July. At center, in the background, is the NASA Vehicle Manager for Atlantis, Scott Thurston, talking about the orbiter. The astronaut candidates are at KSC to participate in firefighting training and familiarization tours. The class of 14 candidates includes three candidates from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency as well as three educator astronauts, who were school teachers chosen from thousands of applicants.