Shuttle Countdown Under Way
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Countdown clocks started ticking today for the rebuilt shuttle Discovery’s long-awaited blastoff Thursday on the first American manned spaceflight since Challenger rocketed to its doom 32 months ago this week.
“We’re looking forward to doing this job, doing it right and launching on time,” NASA test director Frank Merlino said shortly after the countdown began at 8 a.m. at the T-minus 43-hour mark. Discovery’s crew--commander Frederick Hauck, 47; co-pilot Richard Covey, 42; John Lounge, 42; David Hilmers, 38, and George (Pinky) Nelson, 38--flew to Kennedy Space Center today for final preparations.
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