KSC-2010-3798

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Class of 2009 Astronaut Candidates, also called ASCANs, tour Launch Pad 39A. Here, they are at the 255-foot-level, the highest floor of the pad structure. This is where the Final Inspection Team begins its top-to-bottom inspection of a space shuttle and external fuel tank before launch. The new astronaut candidates for NASA are Serena M. Aunon, Jeanette J. Epps, Air Force Maj. Jack D. Fischer, Air Force Lt. Col. Michael S. Hopkins, Kjell N. Lindgren, Kathleen 'Kate' Rubins, Navy Cmdr. Scott D. Tingle, Army Lt. Col. Mark T. Vande, and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Gregory R. 'Reid' Wiseman. The new astronaut candidates for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, are Norishige Kanai, Takuya Onishi and Kimiya Yui. The new astronaut candidates for the Canadian Space Agency, or CSA, are Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques. Photo Credit: NASA_Kim Shiflett