Crews selected for future NASA missions

WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- NASA Wednesday announced crew assignments for two 2007 space shuttle missions to the International Space Station.

Astronaut John Olivas joins the crew of shuttle mission STS-117, while Astronaut Tracy Caldwell joins the crew of STS-118 -- both making their first space flights.

Astronaut Richard Mastracchio, previously assigned to STS-117, has been reassigned to STS-118, and veteran shuttle flier and spacewalker Scott Parazynski, previously assigned to STS-118, has left that crew to prepare for assignment to another mission.

With the changes, the STS-117 crew is commanded by Marine Lt. Col. Frederick Sturckow. The mission's pilot is Air Force Col. Lee Archambault and the mission specialists are James Reilly II, retired Army Col. Patrick Forrester, Joan Higginbotham, Steven Swanson, and Olivas. STS-117 will deliver the second starboard truss segment to the space station with the third set of U.S. solar arrays, batteries and associated equipment.

STS-118 will be commanded by Navy Cmdr. Scott Kelly, with Marine Lt. Col. Charles Hobaugh as pilot. Mission specialists will be Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Dafydd Williams, educator astronaut Barbara Morgan, Mastracchio and Caldwell. STS-118 will deliver the third starboard truss segment and other supplies.