Posted: Wed, Sep 15, 2010, 7:51 AM ET (1151 GMT)
NASA announced Tuesday the crew for a "launch on need" shuttle mission next year that could be converted into an actual additional shuttle flight. Chris Ferguson would command the mission, currently designated STS-335, with Doug Hurley as pilot and Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim as mission specialists. The mission, using the shuttle Atlantis, currently would only fly if the last currently planned shuttle mission, STS-134, required a rescue mission. However, legislation working its way through Congress would direct NASA to fly another shuttle mission, in which case STS-335 would be converted into STS-135, a mission with the same crew slated for a June 2011 launch.

Related Links:

•  CBS News/Spaceflight Now article
•  Florida Today article
•  SPACE.com article
•  Discovery.com article
•  NASA press release