Endeavour cleared for reentry
Posted: Sun, May 22, 2011, 8:56 AM ET (1256 GMT)
Shuttle managers announced Saturday they have cleared the shuttle Endeavour for a return to Earth at the end of this month after concluding a damaged tile on the orbiter was not a concern. Astronauts on Saturday used a boom to study damage to a tile on the underside of the orbiter spotted when the shuttle arrived at the International Space Station on Wednesday. Engineers used the detailed information on the size and depth of the gouge in the tile to run computer models to see how it would affect the shuttle upon reentry. NASA officials said Saturday that the tile damage would not threaten the safety of the orbiter during reentry, and thus there was no need to repare the gouge while in orbit. Endeavour remains docked to the ISS, and is scheduled to return to Earth at the end of its final mission on June 1.
Shuttle managers announced Saturday they have cleared the shuttle Endeavour for a return to Earth at the end of this month after concluding a damaged tile on the orbiter was not a concern. Astronauts on Saturday used a boom to study damage to a tile on the underside of the orbiter spotted when the shuttle arrived at the International Space Station on Wednesday. Engineers used the detailed information on the size and depth of the gouge in the tile to run computer models to see how it would affect the shuttle upon reentry. NASA officials said Saturday that the tile damage would not threaten the safety of the orbiter during reentry, and thus there was no need to repare the gouge while in orbit. Endeavour remains docked to the ISS, and is scheduled to return to Earth at the end of its final mission on June 1.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, September 26
Why America needs Golden Dome for protection
Washington Post — 7:42 am ET (1142 GMT) Top Colorado Springs leaders are going to Huntsville to make space friends
Colorado Public Radio — 7:41 am ET (1141 GMT) Space Force Challenge Seeks to Strengthen Orbital Resilience
National Defense Magazine — 7:40 am ET (1140 GMT) SpaceX set to launch U.S. Space Force mission early Saturday from Vandenberg SFB
Lompoc Record — 7:39 am ET (1139 GMT) USSF-385 Mission Scheduled for Early Saturday Launch From Vandenberg SFB
KEYT-TV Santa Barbara, CA — 7:39 am ET (1139 GMT) |
