rabahy%castor.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (10/30/84)
From: rabahy%castor.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (David Rabahy) Associated Press Mon 29-OCT-1984 13:48 Teacher-Space Shuttle Eds: SUBS first two grafs to show the person selected will have normal, sted low, blood pressure, and will be first chosen from general public, sted first non-astronaut HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - The teacher chosen to fly aboard the space shuttle in 1986 will need at least five years of teaching exprience, normal blood pressure and good hearing, a NASA official says. Alan Ladwig, director of NASA's Space Flight Participation Program, said applications from interested elementary and secondary teachers will be accepted from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1. The winner, chosen from a field of 10 finalists picked on July 4, 1985, will become the first person drawn from the general public to be sent into space. President Reagan said the first such person should be a teacher. Ladwig, who previewed the requirements to a group of 40 teachers at a mock shuttle mission at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center on Saturday, said NASA would soon issue the requirements in final form. He said the winning teacher must be able to adapt to flight experience and mission activities and be willing to contract with NASA for public lectures for one year following the flight. Medical requirements include a blood pressure level less than 160 over 100 and the ability to hear whispered speech at three feet, he said.