Charles Lacy Veach

Charles Lacy Veach, 51, space shuttle astronaut who flew on missions in April, 1991, and October, 1992. He joined the astronaut corps in 1984. "He was a skilled pilot and an enthusiastic explorer. We will miss him," NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin said. Veach was born in Chicago, but considered Honolulu his hometown. On Tuesday of cancer in Houston.

Charles Lacy Veach, 51, space shuttle astronaut who flew on missions in April, 1991, and October, 1992. He joined the astronaut corps in 1984. "He was a skilled pilot and an enthusiastic explorer. We will miss him," NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin said. Veach was born in Chicago, but considered Honolulu his hometown. On Tuesday of cancer in Houston.

What's worse: hurling through the sky more than 20 times the speed of sound or speaking to an auditorium filled with teen-agers, some of whom are waiting for a chance to land a verbal barb? For NASA astronaut Charles Lacy Veach, danger lies in both ventures.

What's worse: hurling through the sky more than 20 times the speed of sound or speaking to an auditorium filled with teen-agers, some of whom are waiting for a chance to land a verbal barb? For NASA astronaut Charles Lacy Veach, danger lies in both ventures.

Columbia's astronauts grabbed a dotted aluminum panel with the shuttle arm on Saturday and swung it about the spacecraft's cargo bay to test a Canadian robotic vision system. The crew of five men and one woman launched into a series of medical experiments on their third day in space, one day after completing their main job of releasing a laser-reflecting satellite. They also performed the first major test of the robotic vision system using the shuttle's 50-foot mechanical arm.

About 1,000 high school seniors from throughout the county are expected to attend a Science Festival Feb. 28 at Chapman College. Astronaut Charles Lacy Veach will speak on space activities planned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Irving S. Bengelsdorf, a specialist with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, will be the keynote speaker. Bengelsdorf's topic will be "The Majesty of the Universe."

Discovery's launch on the 40th shuttle mission, scheduled for 4:05 a.m. PDT today from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, would be the second of 1991. A delay because of bad weather was considered possible as of late Monday. It would be the 12th flight for the Discovery since 1984.

The shuttle Columbia roared safely into space with six astronauts and a laser-reflecting satellite Thursday after NASA officials waived a flight rule despite excessive wind gusts. "The flagship of the fleet is back in space again," shuttle Commander James Wetherbee said moments after the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's oldest shuttle reached orbit. High crosswinds at Kennedy Space Center's emergency landing strip delayed liftoff for nearly two hours.