Shuttle Countdown Gets Under Way in Secrecy
Associated Press
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. —
A secret countdown began Tuesday for the debut of the space shuttle Atlantis on a classified mission to deploy two military communications satellites that are hardened against nuclear attack.
The Pentagon and National Aeronautics and Space Administration said launching will be Thursday between 7:20 and 10:20 a. m. PDT. Officials will disclose the precise time nine minutes in advance.
The government contends that secrecy makes it more difficult for the Soviets to monitor the flight.
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