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During liftoff, this crew recorded a space exploration milestone. Before this flight, 498 people had been in space, beginning with Yuri Gagarin in 1961. Colonel Hurley, in the pilot's seat, became No. 499, as the Endeavour passed through the 100-kilometer altitude, the arbitrary boundary of outer space. Because of his seating position, Commander Cassidy was the 500th. Dr. Marshburn and Colonel Kopra, both also first-time fliers, brought the total to 502.

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