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
|
|
NASA IG cites overconfidence and unrealistic schedules for Starliner woes
Posted: Sat, Jul 4 8:11 PM ET (0011 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, July 10
Training while flying: Inside BepiColombo's arrival simulations
ESA — 6:48 am ET (1048 GMT) ESA calls for ideas to give space robots embodied intelligence
ESA — 6:48 am ET (1048 GMT) Space Force adds two startups to military’s growing list of national security launch providers
Defense One — 6:47 am ET (1047 GMT) Space Force Finalizes New Acquisition Structure, Names 9 Portfolio Executives
Air and Space Forces Magazine — 6:47 am ET (1047 GMT) Astronaut and aviation pioneer Wally Funk dies at 87
Houston Chronicle — 6:45 am ET (1045 GMT) |
