Crew of Discovery inspect Shuttle for launch damage
{{date|July 27, 2005}}

The crew of the Space shuttle ''[[w:Space Shuttle Discovery|Discovery]]''&nbsp;&ndash; which [[Space Shuttle Discovery launches|launched successfully yesterday]]&nbsp;&ndash; have begun to make inspections of the exterior of the Orbiter.

They are checking for any damage that may have occurred during take-off&nbsp;&ndash; the ''[[w:Space Shuttle Columbia|Columbia]]'' [[w:Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|was destroyed]] after a piece of [[w:foam|foam]] falling from the external fuel tank split open a wing, allowing super-heated [[w:gas|gas]] to enter the craft upon [[w:Atmospheric reentry|reentry]], leading to its break-up.

The crew of ''Discovery'' are using a [[w:laser|laser]]-[[w:scanner|scanner]] mounted on the end of the shuttle's 15&nbsp;m (49.2 ft) long [[w:robot|robotic]] arm. The inspection will consist of 90 minute sessions, during which a [[w:3-D|three-dimensional]] image of the surface of the nosecone and the leading edges of the wings will be built up.

[[w:NASA|NASA]] engineers are studying footage taken from a camera mounted on the external fuel tank, which appears to show a 1.5" (3.8&nbsp;cm) piece of tile falling away from on or near the nose landing-gear doors. There is also footage of an unidentified piece of debris which fell away as the solid [[w:booster rocket|rocket boosters]] were jettisoned, and did not appear to strike the shuttle.

==Sources==

*{{source|url=http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/news/STS-114-02.html |title=STS-114 MCC Status Report #02 |author= |pub=NASA |date=July 27, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050727/wl_afp/usspaceshuttlearm_050727084710;_ylt=AiAILXN7AsQH0NGLnHwovdWs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b3JuZGZhBHNlYwM3MjE- |title=Discovery deploys robotic arm to examine wings, nose cap |author= |pub=AFP |date=July 27, 2005}}

   

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[[Category:Science and technology]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Space Shuttle Discovery]]

[[de:Hitzeschild des Space Shuttle beschädigt]]
The crew of the Space shuttle Discovery – which launched successfully yesterday – have begun to make inspections of the exterior of the Orbiter.

They are checking for any damage that may have occurred during take-off – the Columbia was destroyed after a piece of foam falling from the external fuel tank split open a wing, allowing super-heated gas to enter the craft upon reentry, leading to its break-up.

The crew of Discovery are using a laser-scanner mounted on the end of the shuttle's 15 m (49.2 ft) long robotic arm. The inspection will consist of 90 minute sessions, during which a three-dimensional image of the surface of the nosecone and the leading edges of the wings will be built up.

NASA engineers are studying footage taken from a camera mounted on the external fuel tank, which appears to show a 1.5" (3.8 cm) piece of tile falling away from on or near the nose landing-gear doors. There is also footage of an unidentified piece of debris which fell away as the solid rocket boosters were jettisoned, and did not appear to strike the shuttle.

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Science and technology Space North America United States Space Shuttle Discovery