Although they are no longer with us, their spirit of exploration will live on.  From this day forward, each time someone goes into space for the purpose of peaceful exploration, they will honor the seven people who died on Saturday, February 1st 2003.

MILITARY RANK: Air Force colonel
PERSONAL: Age: 45; hometown, Amarillo, Tex. Married; 2 children.
EDUCATION: BS in mechanical engineering, Texas Tech, 1980; MS in mechanical engineering, California State-Fresno, 1990
SPACE EXPERIENCE: Pilot on STS-96 in 1999, logging 234 hours

Shuttle Pilot  William C. McCool

AGE-BIRTH DATE: 41. Born Sept. 23, 1961, in San Diego.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in applied science, U.S. Naval Academy, 1983; master's degree in computer science, University of Maryland, 1985; master's in aeronautical engineering, the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, 1992.
CAREER: Navy commander. Worked as a test pilot in Flight Systems Department of Strike Aircraft Test Directorate at Patuxent River, Md. Selected by NASA in April 1996.
FAMILY: Married.

AGE-BIRTH DATE: 48. Born June 20, 1954, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
EDUCATION: Graduated as a fighter pilot from Israel Air Force Flight School in 1974. Bachelor's degree in electronics and computer engineering from the University of Tel Aviv in 1987.
CAREER: In 1980, became one of first Israeli pilots training to fly F-16s. Promoted to colonel in 1994. From 1994-1998, assigned as head of operational requirement for weapon development and acquisition.
PERSONAL: Married, four children.

Shuttle Payload Specialist Laurel Clark

Personal: Age 41. Born March 10,1961 in Ames, Iowa; considered Racine, Wis., her hometown. Married to Jonathan Clark. One son, 8 years old.
Education: William Horlick High School, Racine, 1979; bachelor's degree in zoology, Wisconsin-Madison, 1983; medical degree, UW-Madison, 1987.
Career: Completed Navy undersea medical officer training at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute and diving medical officer training at the Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center; performed medical evacuations from subs during assignment in Scotland; stationed at MCAS Yuma, Arizona and assigned as Flight Surgeon for a Marine Corps AV-8B night attack harrier squadron; flight surgeon for the Naval Flight Officer advanced training squadron (VT-86) in Pensacola, Fla.; selected by NASA in April 1996; qualified for flight assignment as a mission specialist after completing two years of training and evaluation.

AGE-BIRTH DATE: 41. Born July 1, 1961, in Karnal, India.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, Punjab Engineering College, India, 1982; master's in aerospace engineering, University of Texas, 1984; doctorate in aerospace engineering, University of Colorado, 1988.
CAREER: Began work at NASA Ames Research Center in 1988. Joined Overset Methods Inc., of Los Altos, Calif., as vice president and research scientist in 1993. Selected by NASA for astronaut program in 1994. Flew on shuttle mission in 1997 as mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator.
PERSONAL: Married.

Mission Specialist Dr. David M. Brown

AGE-BIRTH DATE: 46. Born April 16, 1956, in Arlington, Va.
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in biology, College of William and Mary, 1978; doctorate in medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 1982.
CAREER: Navy captain, pilot and doctor. Served as director of medical services at Navy Branch Hospital in Adak, Alaska. Became naval aviator in Beeville, Texas, in 1990, went to test pilot school in 1995 as flight surgeon.
PERSONAL: Single.

RANK: Lieutenant colonel, U.S. Air Force
PERSONAL: Born Dec. 25, 1959, in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Considered Spokane, Wash., his hometown. Married; daughters ages 9 and 11. Enjoyed computers, chess, tennis, photography.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Cheney (Wash.) High School, 1977. BS in physics/astronomy from Univ. of Washington, 1981. Master of science in physics, Creighton, 1990.
HONORS: Defense Superior Service Medal, USAF Meritorious Service Medal; USAF Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in December 1994, reported to Johnson Space Center in March 1995. Trained for year, qualifying as mission specialist. Initially assigned technical duties in the Flight Support Branch of the Astronaut Office. On STS-89 in 1998, he logged more than 211 hours in space.