Shuttle's Heat Shield Appears Undamaged, NASA Says
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HOUSTON â A first look at video from space shuttle Atlantis' external fuel tank revealed no signs of damage to the spacecraft's heat-resistant underbelly, NASA mission managers said Friday.
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Astronauts on shuttle Atlantis   conducted a final inspection of their spacecraft's heat shield   on Monday as they began early preparations for their return to   Earth.
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By MIKE SCHNEIDER HOUSTON - Hours after undocking from the international space station Tuesday, Atlantis' seven astronauts began a final inspection of the space shuttle to make sure its heat shield was ready to re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
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THE space shuttle Atlantis will dock with the international space station today amid safety fears about its exterior.  The shuttle's delicate heat system, which protects the craft on re-entry to Earth, is to be assessed by NASA after photos showed a small exposed area.
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Astronauts used a sensor-equipped robot  arm to look for damage to space shuttle Discovery's heat shield  on Wednesday as the orbiter headed toward a rendezvous with the  International Space Station.
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NASA&#39;s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has returned this view of its discard heat shield, which crashed to the planet&#39;s surface during the craft&#39;s descent and landing last January.
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NASA reported major progress on  glitches in a critical computer system on the International  Space Station on Friday as astronauts repaired insulation  damage to the space shuttle Atlantis during a spacewalk.
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Astronauts on Friday fixed a tear in the shuttle Atlantis&#39;s heat shield and repaired two main computers at the International Space Station after an unprecedented systems breakdown that lasted 48 hours, a NASA spokeswoman said.
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Space shuttle astronauts will attempt  to repair Atlantis&#39; damaged heat shield during a spacewalk on  Friday, using staples to try to pin down a loose thermal  blanket, managers decided on Wednesday.
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An inspection of the U.S. space shuttle   Atlantis on Wednesday found no sign of damage but cautious NASA   managers ordered closer scrutiny of the ship's protective heat   shield and other critical systems just to be sure.
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HOUSTON  -- Shuttle Atlantis astronauts will take  a closer look at a minor tear in their ship's heat shield on  Sunday after an undisclosed medical issue sidelined plans for a  spacewalk to install Europe's Columbus laboratory on the  International Space Station, NASA officials said.
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Just three months before launching the first space shuttle mission in two years,  NASA is still undecided about which techniques for in-flight repair on the heat shield to test to ensure the Columbia accident is not repeated.
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SPACE.com / CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Atlantis' foam-covered fuel tank did shed some debris midway through today's successful launch, but the events are not believed to be a threat to the spacecraft, NASA officials said Saturday.
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Hours after undocking from the international space station Tuesday, Atlantis' seven astronauts finished a final inspection of the space shuttle to make sure its heat shield was ready to re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
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Astronauts prepared on Sunday for a  lengthy inspection of space shuttle Discovery's heat shield for  possible damage following Saturday's night-time launch, the  first since space shuttle Columbia's destruction in 2003.
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Astronauts aboard NASA&#39;s shuttle Atlantis scanned their spacecraft&#39;s heat shield for any signs of damage Saturday as they continue on course towards the International Space Station (ISS).
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The crew of the U.S. Space Shuttle Discovery was preparing Sunday for its rendezvous with the International Space Station.  NASA said the crew was inspecting the shuttle's heat shield for any possible damage from Saturday's launch, and preparing tools necessary for the rendezvous.