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A Story of Shuttle Contrasts at the Cape

Inside Discovery's Cockpit
Inside Discovery's Cockpit

June 22, 2011| The crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis started a series of launch day dress rehearsals at Kennedy Space Center yesterday,ahead of the final mission of the Shuttle program. NASA also used the occasion to give members of the media a first look at Space Shuttle Discovery as that spaceship is prepped for retirement. 90.7s Mark Simpson was there, and he brings us a look inside the shuttle.

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It’s tough to fully absorb the grandeur of Space Shuttle Discovery at first glance.

Its body is obscured by work structures in a NASA hanger that enable
technicians to remove  toxic materials.
 

Unlike Atlantis which sits gracefully on the launch pad, Discovery’s nose cone is
partially open and the spaces where her 3 engines rested are now gaping holes in the tail
of the space craft.

Shuttle flow director Stephan Stilson says getting Discovery ready for retirement has
been hard on the workforce, "It’s definitely not always real enthusiastic in the sense that>some folks are going to have to leave and they’re not ready to leave. So that’s a very hard time, I’ve never had to go through anything like that.”

Discovery is headed to the Smithsonian after processing is finished at Kennedy Space Center.

Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to  lift off on  the final shuttle  mission July 8th.

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