The four astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis will soon start preparing for conducting the first heat shield inspection of the STS-135 mission. Videos analyzed by engineering teams on the ground have thus far revealed no reasons to worry about its integrity.
Wake-up is scheduled for 3:59 am EDT (0759 GMT),... |
9 July 2011
03:44 GMT |
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After analyzing the results of the latest heat shield inspection, engineers and mission controllers at NASA determined that space shuttle Endeavour's heat shield is in good condition for landing.Scientists with the American space agency say that the dint a past inspection found on the orbiter's underbelly s... |
23 May 2011
02:42 GMT |
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The dents discovered in space shuttle Endeavour's heat shield made mission controllers at NASA ask astronauts forming the STS-134 crew to carry out a new inspection of the orbiter's underbelly.The maneuver will see the crew using a sensor-laden pole to scan the affected portions of the heat shield. This wil... |
21 May 2011
04:16 GMT |
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As the space shuttle Endeavour soared into the skies during its final launch ever, the heat shield that protects the spacecraft during atmospheric reentry may have suffered some minor damage, NASA says.Engineers and other experts at the American space agency are currently investigating images sent back by the STS-134... |
20 May 2011
03:18 GMT |
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After spending about two days chasing the International Space Station (ISS) in Earth's orbit, the space shuttle Atlantis finally managed to catch up with the lab Sunday, May 16. The spacecraft docked on the facility at 10:28 am EDT (1428 GMT), after performing the back flip maneuver that has now become standard ... |
17 May 2010
03:20 GMT |
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Since the Columbia accident in 2003, the American space agency has put in place measures to ensure that something like this never happens before. As such, as space-bound shuttles need to inspect their own heat shield the first full day they spend in space. For Atlantis, that took place on Saturday, but the crew exper... |
17 May 2010
02:43 GMT |
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Though the first heat shield inspection of the STS-130 mission revealed no significant damage to the shuttle's defense mechanism, engineers at NASA have been working since then on determining whether two minor glitches could have any impact on Endeavor's landing. Using data collected by the astronauts emplo... |
13 February 2010
02:20 GMT |
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All NASA shuttles are protected upon atmospheric reentry by a ceramics-based heat shield, which is able to handle the thousands of degrees that heat up the spacecraft' underbellies. For all their resilience, these heat shields are extremely sensitive, and even minor impacts can cause very dangerous dents. After ... |
18 November 2009
02:35 GMT |
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Landing instruments such as the twin Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, and the Phoenix Mars Lander on the surface of the Red Planet is one thing, but setting down the one-tonne Curiosity (MSL) is another challenge altogether. Undoubtedly, future landings will aim at setting down even larger crafts, so the current a... |
12 August 2009
16:01 GMT |
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The seven crew members aboard the STS-119 Discovery mission, which successfully launched yesterday evening from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will inspect the heat shield on their shuttle for any signs of damage on Monday. They are scheduled to dock on the International Space Station tomorrow, and they have to... |
16 March 2009
11:15 GMT |
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