Veteran Astronaut Scott Parazynski Leaves NASA

HOUSTON, March 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski
is leaving the agency to take a job in the private sector. Parazynski, a
medical doctor, is a veteran of five space shuttle flights and seven
spacewalks.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

"Scott is an exceptional astronaut who has served NASA and the Astronaut
Office with distinction during these past 17 years," said Steve Lindsey, chief
of the Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "In
particular, his spacewalking expertise has helped pave the way to successful
assembly of the International Space Station. As a colleague, former crewmate,
and friend, I wish him the very best in his future career -- he will be
missed."

Parazynski flew on shuttle missions STS-66 in 1994, STS-86 in 1997, STS-95 in
1998, STS-100 in 2001 and STS-120 in 2007. He has logged more than 1,381 hours
in space, including more than 47 hours spacewalking. Parazynski flew on
missions that traveled to the Russian Mir Space Station, the International
Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. He was selected as an astronaut
in March 1992.

For Parazynski's complete biography, visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/parazyns.html

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

SOURCE NASA

Katherine Trinidad, Headquarters, Washington, +1-202-358-1100,
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov; or Rob Lazaro, Johnson Space Center, Houston,
+1-281-483-5111, robert.lazaro-1@nasa.gov, both of NASA