Discovery Countdown Is Underway
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Sen. John Glenn arrived here Monday as the countdown clocks began ticking for his return to orbit this week aboard space shuttle Discovery.
The 77-year-old senator, who in 1962 became the first American to orbit the Earth, and six other astronauts are due to blast off from the Florida spaceport at 11 a.m. PST Thursday.
The shuttle crew landed at the Kennedy Space Center on sleek T-38 jets Monday afternoon.
Air Force meteorologists were predicting a 60% chance of favorable weather for the shuttle’s 2 1/2-hour launch window.
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