NASA Experience
Dr. van Hoften was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978. He completed a 1-year training and evaluation period in August 1979.
From 1979 through the first flight, STS-1, Van Hoften supported the Space Shuttle entry and on-orbit guidance, navigation and flight control testing at the Flight Systems Laboratory at Downey, California. Subsequently he was lead of the Astronaut Support Team at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, responsible for the Space Shuttle turn-around testing and flight preparations. He served as a mission specialist on STS-41C in 1984, and STS-51I in 1985. Dr. Van Hoften has logged a total 338 hours in space, including 22 hours of EVA flight time.
Read more about this topic: James Van Hoften
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