SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (MARCH 24) UPI - Maj. Carol Belt, who is stationed
at Scott Air Force Base, has been named to the crew of a space shuttle mission
tentatively scheduled for 1989 and would be the first meteorologist in space. 

Belt's selection was announced Wednesday by the Air Force. 

Belt, 35, a native of Red Oak, Iowa, has been in the Air Force since 1975. She
is assigned to the Directorate of Special Projects at Air Weather Service
global headquarters at Scott. Scott is about 20 miles east of St. Louis. 

The main goal of Belt's mission will be to collect information about weather
and atmosphere for the Army and Air Force, officials said. 

Maj. Fred Lewis, who previously was stationed at Scott, originally had been
chosen for the mission more than two years ago. He left the space shuttle
program after it was delayed by the explosion of the Challenger in January
1986. 

Maj. Lloyd Anderson of the 4th Weather Wing's Detachment 9 at Learmonth,
Australia, has been selected as the alternate for Belt. Belt and Anderson will
undergo a year of training for the mission.