Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, DC                 January 16, 1996
(Phone:  202/358-1778)

Kyle Herring 
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
(Phone:  713/483-5111)

RELEASE:  96-4

ASTRONAUT THAGARD LEAVES NASA; RETURNS TO ALMA MATER

     Space Shuttle Astronaut Dr. Norman E. Thagard has 
retired from NASA and returned to his alma mater, Florida 
State University.  He leaves the space agency following five 
space missions, including a U.S. record four-month stay 
aboard Russia's space station Mir.

     Thagard accepted the position of Visiting Professor and 
Director of External Relations for the Florida A&M University 
- Florida State University College of Engineering, 
Tallahassee.  His initial assignment -- effective Jan. 5 -- 
is teaching electronics, an area that has been a long-time 
hobby.  Thagard has published several articles on digital and 
analog electronics design.

     Joining NASA as part of the astronaut class of 1978, 
Thagard flew on STS-7 in 1983 and STS 51-B in 1985, both 
aboard Challenger; STS-30 in 1989 on Atlantis; STS-42 in 1992 
on Discovery; and on the Mir-18 mission on the space station 
last year.  On that flight Thagard was launched with two 
cosmonauts aboard a Soyuz rocket and landed aboard Atlantis 
at the conclusion of the first Shuttle/Mir docking mission -- STS-71.

     Becoming an astronaut was one of Thagard's dreams.  
Another was to return to his alma mater, from which he 
received bachelor and master of science degrees in 
engineering science in 1965 and 1966, respectively.  "The 
only thing other than being an astronaut was to come back to 
Florida State to teach," Thagard said.  His doctor of 
medicine degree came in 1977 from the University of Texas 
Southwestern Medical School.

     Though born in Marianna, FL, Thagard considers 
Jacksonville his hometown.  He is a pilot and has logged more 
than 2,200 hours flying time, primarily in jet aircraft.  
With the completion of his fifth space mission, Thagard has 
spent over 140 days in space -- more than any other American.

                    -end-