Shuttle Countdown Proceeds on Schedule
<i> Associated Press</i>
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. —
NASA’s third countdown for the space shuttle Columbia and its astronomy mission proceeded uninterrupted Monday as the space agency aimed for liftoff Wednesday night.
“We want the shuttle Columbia and the science payload to be right when we launch,” said Vance Brand, commander of the seven-man crew. “We are enthusiastic about the mission and ready to fly it.”
If the Columbia takes off, it will be the first shuttle launched since hydrogen fuel leaks grounded NASA’s three-shuttle fleet in the spring.
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