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Discovery crew tests robotic arm
August 10, 1997
Web posted at: 4:39 p.m. EDT (2039 GMT)KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida (CNN) -- The crew aboard space shuttle Discovery took another stab Sunday at testing out a robotic arm, using the $100 million device to open a door in the shuttle's cargo bay and lift a small box.
It was a big test for the Japanese-made arm, which is a model of what NASA hopes to use on a future international space station.
Some tests have had to be delayed because of glitches with the device, but NASA says some glitches were expected because the arm is so new.
Mission Control awakened the crew with a song 
3.9M/47 sec. AIFF or WAV sound The five-foot arm was used Sunday to unlock and open a hinged door and pick up a 1 1/2-foot box. There were some snags, but things went much more smoothly than the first workout on Friday.
Early Sunday, Mission Control awakened the crew by playing the country group Alabama's song "My Home's In Alabama" in honor of astronaut Jan Davis, who is an Alabama native.
Discovery lifted off on its 11-day science mission on Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Related sites:
- Space Shuttle Discovery Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Aug. 7, 1997 - launch information from FLORIDA TODAY's Space Online page
- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center - Look here for the latest schedule of launches from Cape Canaveral Air Station
- NASA Shuttle Web
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