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NASA started the countdown Sunday for shuttle Discovery’s planned launch this week in Florida, marching toward the space agency’s first flight with a crew in 2 1/2 years.
Liftoff is set for 3:51 p.m. Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center, with forecasts predicting a 70 percent chance of good weather. A shuttle manager pronounced Discovery in excellent shape Sunday, saying NASA workers can “see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Discovery’s mission to the International Space Station is the first shuttle voyage since the seven Columbia astronauts were killed on Feb. 1, 2003.
The main objectives of the 12-day mission are to restock the space station and conduct spacewalks.
