Dr. Baker, a civilian astronaut with NASA since 1985, is making her first space flight.

It honors NASA astronauts along with several military and civilian astronauts who have died in the line of duty.

Dr. Shannon W. Lucid, a civilian astronaut, set the old American record in a mission to Russia's space station Mir in 1996.

He made his first space flight, as command pilot of Gemini 8, in 1966, becoming NASA's first civilian astronaut to fly in space.

The selections were kept secret until three days later, although newspaper reports had been circulating since earlier that year that he would be selected as the "first civilian astronaut."

The pay grades for civilian astronauts are GS-11 through GS-14, based on academic achievements and experience.

LEAD: For the flight of the space shuttle Discovery, the space agency chose three military officers and two civilian astronauts.

Frederick D. Gregory Mission Commander For the flight of the space shuttle Discovery, the space agency chose three military officers and two civilian astronauts.

It is named in memory of Christa McAuliffe, the civilian astronaut who died in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster.

McAuliffe was a civilian astronaut, part of NASA's Teacher in Space program.