BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan - A Brazilian astronaut promised Wednesday to make his country proud with its first space flight, pledging to take both a flag and a soccer jersey into orbit in hopes it will bring his beloved national team victory in the World Cup.


Marcos C. Pontes beamed as he described his excitement on the eve of Thursday's scheduled launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome for a mission to the international space station. Marcos said he felt a deep responsibility to carry out the mission well, and wanted to take along things important to his Latin American nation.

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