Shuttle to check heat shield, deploy satellites
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Astronauts aboard Discovery plan a final, routine check of the space shuttle's heat shield and the launch of two small satellites on Wednesday before landing two days later.
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Astronauts aboard NASA&#39;s shuttle Atlantis will scan their spacecraft&#39;s heat shield later today for any signs of damage as they continue on course towards the International Space Station (ISS).
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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS  HOUSTON  The orbiting Discovery crew started the meticulous inspection of the shuttle's heat shield on Sunday, looking for any possible damage from liftoff.
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By Seth Borenstein Associated Press  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- With a 4-inch gap in the space shuttle Atlantis' heat-protecting blanket not appearing to be an urgent problem on Saturday, the crew readied themselves for what NASA called a delicate ballet with the international space station.
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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.
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Nasa astronauts will attempt to fix a thermal blanket that peeled back during the launch of space shuttle Atlantis.
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By Traci Watson  The crew of space shuttle Discovery did an unplanned inspection of their ship's heat shield as a precaution Monday after sensors detected a possible glancing blow to the left wing earlier in the day.
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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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By JUAN A. LOZANO HOUSTON - Mission managers on Saturday cleared Atlantis to land next week after concluding the space shuttle's heat shield was safe enough to withstand the intense heat of re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
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Space shuttle Atlantis  astronauts will make another inspection of their spacecraft to  ensure unidentified objects seen flying near the ship were not  pieces of its heat shield or other critical components, NASA  managers said on Tuesday.
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Astronauts using a robot arm scanned the space shuttle Discovery's heat shield for damage on Wednesday as the orbiter headed toward a rendezvous with the International Space Station.
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NASA engineers pondered how best to fix a tear in space shuttle Atlantis' heat shield while a new pair of electricity-generating solar panels were unfurled on the International Space Station on Tuesday.
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By MIKE SCHNEIDER CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Discovery's seven astronauts do not need to conduct an extra inspection of the space shuttle's belly and wings, NASA engineers studying the spacecraft's heat shield for damage recommended Tuesday.
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HOUSTON -- NASA engineers are conducting a series of tests to determine how best to repair a torn heat-resistant blanket on the space shuttle Atlantis.
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NASA said it will fix a worrying rip in space shuttle Atlantis' heat shield system and spacewalking astronauts hooked a giant metal truss to the International Space Station on Monday.
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Atlantis' heat shield is safe to return to Earth, mission managers decided Wednesday, a day before the space shuttle was planned to land in Florida. A forecast for thunderstorms appeared to be the main obstacle for its return.
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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.