English: S96-12956 Following their selection from among 2,400 applicants, the 44 astronaut candidates begin a lengthy period of training and evaluation at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) as they gather for their first public appearance together and the taking of their group portrait. This year's class is the largest in the history of space shuttle astronauts and their early program predecessors. Ten pilot and 25 mission specialist candidates (including one absentee from this portrait) make up the internationally diverse class. The international trainees represent the Canadian, Japanese, Italian, French, German and European space agencies. Back row - from the left, Christopher Loria, Umberto Guidoni, Christer Fuglesang, Mamoru Mohri, Stephen Frick, John Herrington, Philippe Perrin, Paul Lockhart, Lee Morin, John Phillips, Donald Pettit, Scott Kelly, James Kelly, Paul Richards and Daniel Burbank. Middle row - from the left, Fernando Caldeiro, William McCool, Jeffrey Williams, Rex Walheim, Lisa Nowak, Soichi Noguchi, Duane Carey, Charles Camarda, Richard Mastraccio, Daniel Tani, Piers Sellers, Mark Kelly, David Brown, Patrick Forrester, Michael Massimino and Gerhard Thiele. Front row - from the left, Charles Hobaugh, Edward Fincke, Stephanie Wilson, Laurel Clark, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Mark Polansky, Peggy Whitson, Yvonne Cagle, Joan Higginbotham, Steve MacLean, Julie Payette and Sandra Magnus. Pedro Duque was not available for the photograph. Guidoni represents the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Fuglesang and Duque represent the European Space Agency (ESA). Mohri and Noguchi represent the Japanese Space Agency (NASDA). MacLean and Payette are with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Perrin is associated with the French Space Agency (CNES) and Thiele represents the German Space Agency (DARA).