Debra Rahn

Headquarters, Washington, DC June 1, 1998

(Phone: 202/358-1638)

Ed Campion
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
(Phone: 281/483-5111)

RELEASE: 98-94

NASA FORMS OFFICE IN RUSSIA IN

PREPARATION FOR ISS OPERATIONS

NASA has formed the Office of Human Space Flight Programs,

Russia, to oversee the transition from the Phase One Shuttle-Mir
program to the assembly and operation of the new International
Space Station. Astronaut Michael A. Baker (Captain, USN) will lead
this office. Baker recently was named Assistant Director to
Johnson Space Center Director George W. S. Abbey to supervise the
transition of human space flight initiatives associated with this
cooperative effort.

Baker will be NASA's lead representative to the Russian Space

Agency and its contractors on operational issues as part of NASA's
Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) initiative. This
places Russian liaison for all human space flight operations and
initiatives under one office and consolidates preparations for the
assembly of the International Space Station, including mission
operations, crew training, logistics and technical liaison
activities with Russian space organizations.

"It is critical to ensure a seamless transition takes place

between the successful Phase One program and the start of
construction of the International Space Station," Abbey said.
"With this new office, the ISS program can take advantage of the
knowledge and momentum gained from Phase One under the direction
of Frank Culbertson.

"Baker's leadership and expertise provide the framework to

coordinate activities with our Russian colleagues and provide him
the unique opportunity to bring the operations team together for
this project," Abbey said.

Baker has flown four shuttle missions, including his most

recent flight as commander of STS-81 aboard Atlantis in January
1997, the fifth docking of a shuttle to the Mir Space Station.
Prior to that flight, Baker served as the NASA Director of
Operations at Star City from March to October 1995.

Other activities in Russia that fall under the leadership of

Baker include the astronaut training responsibilities at the
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center outside Moscow at Star City and
all NASA mission operations functions at the Mission Control
Center in Korolev.

Currently, astronaut James Halsell (Lt. Col, USAF) is serving

as the Director of Operations, Russia, overseeing training
activities for U.S. astronauts at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training
Center in Star City. Tom Cremins will serve on Abbey's staff in
Houston as Baker's deputy.

For additional information on Baker, Culbertson, Halsell or

any astronaut, see the NASA Internet biography home page at URL:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/

For more information on the International Space Station

Program, see the homepage at URL:

http://www.station.nasa.gov

-end-