The word 'astronaut' derives from the Greek words meaning 'star' and 'sailor.' These men and women -- Alan Shephard, John Glenn, Jr., Sally Ride, to name a few -- conjure up images of bravery and adventure. They are modern heroes, helping humanity reach for the stars. When the space program began in 1959, there were only seven such people in the entire country. They all were then -- or had been in the past -- in the armed forces. Most of them were test pilots, used to the dangers that came from 'pushing the envelope.' That was only 36 years ago, and since then much has changed. Today the Americans who make up the shuttle crews are comprised of every race, creed, color, and gender. As of May 2, 1993, 180 men and 21 women astronauts were Caucasian, six men and one woman were African-American, three men and one woman were Hispanic, and two men were of Asian descent.