Discovery Crew Begins Medical, Military Tests
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — Their main job in orbit accomplished, the space shuttle Discovery’s astronauts turned their attention to medical and military experiments Friday.
It wasn’t nearly as exciting as Thursday’s release of a giant communications satellite, but that was all right. Being in space was enough.
“The only drawback to spaceflight is that you can’t take your family and friends with you,” said commander Terence (Tom) Henricks. “Let me correct that--you can’t take all your friends with you.”
NASA said the $330-million Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, released by the crew shortly after liftoff, reached its destination with no problem. The satellite was rocketed into a 22,300-mile-high orbit late Thursday by an attached motor.
There also were no problems reported in NASA’s new, blue Mission Control Center, which took charge of the eight-day shuttle mission Thursday night.
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