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Astronauts Look at Endeavour's Tummy Trouble

NASA examines gouge as flying foam invokes memories of Columbia

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 12, 2007 5:28 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Endeavor’s crew gave NASA a better look at a wound on the space shuttle’s belly today, CNN reports. Astronauts used a robotic arm to photograph the three-inch gouge on the shuttle’s heat shield, a ding caused by a flying piece of foam during liftoff. NASA hopes the image will show whether the damage needs to be repaired.

Errant foam is a recurring problem on shuttle flights and helped doom the 2003 Columbia mission. NASA now equips crews with kits to repair damaged tiles, but says they’re ready to chance it if Endeavour has to make an emergency landing on short notice. NASA hopes to extend the mission to a record 10 days thanks to more efficient power-generating sources.

In this photo made from the NASA-TV, a view is seen from the helmet camera from Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams as he and mission specialist Rick Mastracchio, right, use hand tools to work outside of the Space Shuttle Endeavor during a space walk while orbiting Earth, Saturday, Aug....
In this photo made from the NASA-TV, a view is seen from the helmet camera from Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams as he and mission specialist Rick Mastracchio, right, use hand tools to work...   (Associated Press)
In this photo made from the NASA-TV, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams, right, and mission specialist Rick Mastracchio work outside of the Space Shuttle Endeavor during a space walk while orbiting Earth, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007. (AP Photo/NASA-TV)
In this photo made from the NASA-TV, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams, right, and mission specialist Rick Mastracchio work outside of the Space Shuttle Endeavor during a space walk while...   (Associated Press)
In this photo made from NASA-TV, mission specialist Rick Mastracchio, bottom left, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams, bottom right, space walk outside of the Space Shuttle Endeavor while orbiting Earth, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007. This is the first space walk of the STS-118 mission. (AP Photo/NASA-TV)
In this photo made from NASA-TV, mission specialist Rick Mastracchio, bottom left, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Dave Williams, bottom right, space walk outside of the Space Shuttle Endeavor while...   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, center, smiles as she sits with fellow Mission Specialists Dave Williams, left, of Canada, and Benjamin Drew Jr., right, during a STS-118 crew news conference Wednesday, July 11, 2007 in Houston. Endeavor is scheduled to liftoff next month on an 11-day mission to...
Space shuttle Endeavour Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, center, smiles as she sits with fellow Mission Specialists Dave Williams, left, of Canada, and Benjamin Drew Jr., right, during a STS-118 crew...   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour Mission Specialist Dave Williams, right, of Canada, listens to a question during an STS-118 crew news conference Wednesday, July 11, 2007 in Houston. Endeavor is scheduled to liftoff next month on an 11-day mission to the International Space Station. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Space shuttle Endeavour Mission Specialist Dave Williams, right, of Canada, listens to a question during an STS-118 crew news conference Wednesday, July 11, 2007 in Houston. Endeavor is scheduled to liftoff...   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour crew members, front row left to right, Mission Specialist Dave Williams, of Canada, Commander Scott Kelly, Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell, back row left to right, Pilot Charles Hobaugh, Mission Specialist's Richard Mastracchio, Barbara Morgan, and Benjamin Drew Jr. pose for photographers after a STS-118 crew news conference...
Space shuttle Endeavour crew members, front row left to right, Mission Specialist Dave Williams, of Canada, Commander Scott Kelly, Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell, back row left to right, Pilot Charles...   (Associated Press)
The van carrying the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor passes the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center en route to Launch Pad 39A Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., prior to the scheduled launch Wednesday evening. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)
The van carrying the crew of the space shuttle Endeavor passes the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center en route to Launch Pad 39A Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, in Cape Canaveral, Fla., prior...   (Associated Press)
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The official word from NASA

Background on mission, latest news, and astronaut profiles
NASA

Latest news on NASA mission

Shuttle backflips to show gouged belly
Associated Press

NASA learns lesson from Columbia tragedy
Houston Chronicle

Foam flies during Endeavor launch
Times (UK)

 
NASA • Columbia University • space • astronauts • International Space Station • Barbara Morgan • Endeavor • foam • Charles Hobaugh • Tracy Caldwell

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