Page 8 The Battalion Tuesday, October M,i| ' ~ . b Space Shuttle blasts off on 14-day medical research mission The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Colum bia and its seven astronauts blasted off on a belated mission Monday, carrying 48 rats that will be poked, prodded and in some cases decapitated by guillotine and dissected in orbit. All in the name of medical science. The astronauts quickly got started on their 14 days of space checkups, drawing blood from one another, measuring their blood pressure and noting any symp toms of motion sickness. The mission — the longest ever planned for a space shuttle — is intend ed to help scientists develop measures for counteracting the debilitating effects of space travel Despite the tests, every one was flying high. "As you can well imagine, there are seven very happy people up here," com mander John Blaha said. Astronaut-physician David Wolf was the first one to enter the pressurized lab oratory module in the cargo bay, fol lowed by the crew's other medical doc tor, M. Rhea Seddon. NASA needed three countdowns to get Columbia off the ground. Equipment failures halted last week's attempts. "Guys, the third time’s a charm," or- biter test director Brian Monborne as sured the crew before liftoff. Delayed 10 seconds by a stray Navy plane, the 2,000-ton spaceship rose ir its seaside pad at 10:53 a.m. andl: through three decks of clouds on its to a 176-mile-high orbit. It is only the second missioni: shuttle trips focused entirely onmei research. Scientists say they need more test; fore they can draw any conclusir about avoiding such effects of spacete el as shriveled muscles, weakened be: and weakened immune systems. 'iiesday. JULI PHIL DAVE TH< BELINDA MACK HA CLINIQUE GIFT Skin Perfecters is your 7 piece gift with any Clinique purchase of 13.50 or more I m s ' . J's' | laiiill ' . ■ • ■ Tucked inside the neat caddy-organizer: ■ Facial Soap Mild ' Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion ■ Turnaround Cream ■ Soft-Pressed Eye Shadows ■ Different Lipstick ■ A fluffy white terry washcloth One gift per customer, please, while supply lasts. For a fast, free skincare analysis, meet the Clinique Computer. Programmed by a group of leading dermatologists, it determines your skin type and recommends the proper Clinique products and procedures. All Clinique products are allergy tested and 100% fragrance free. Dillard’s Severe weather sweeps through North, West Tex The Associated Press SAN ANGELO - San As Lakeview High School prk Jim Hundley found his camp, disarray Monday, ripped up tornado produced by ovent storms that pummeledpatt North and West Texas. Two metal pit coversa: wooden building from school's track area weresv away by high winds. The pc tiles were blown across the pus, tearing off sections school's roof and ruining a bor's fence, Hundley said. Similar destruction - out windows, toppled pci lines, broken roofs - occiii Sunday night and early Mo: when several severe storms: across the state. No injurtesi reported. Brownwood was anotherh hit city. The arms at a rail:; If!. crossing were ripped loos j’jexas AS itud Burea hat see Jowed t hrough em by ( hough t |ort to he Wade ajor la fence at Howard Payne Unin ty's baseball field was destic and one hotel lost part of its: to high winds. Few students at lake?! High were affected by thei age. Three classes were reloc for much of this week andl others swapped rooms fore clear en: ing classes Monday. ; jTe said "We're very fortunateto pess as; have more damage that we wou l c j and that it was at n ightwhe.p u body was here," Hundley sai; . ” \ Hundley described tl,e|tf :elved age as moderate and estima:s will cost several thousand dell'8 to repair. The ii Some items that mustf Corps i placed include the pit coyer: guidon I wooden building, whichHu. : ing achii said was obliterated, andAnot athletic equipment that had: ] a i