Shuttle crew to check heat shield after launch
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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 on the space shuttle Atlantis will spend two extra days in orbit to fix the craft's thermal "blanket".   Experts feared the rip could result in damage to the shuttle during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
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Atlantis' crew Saturday inspected the U.S. space shuttle's heat shield and prepared for a Sunday rendezvous with the international space station.
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HOUSTON - Astronauts aboard NASA's shuttle Discovery began their first full day in orbit Wednesday with a heat shield inspection as they head toward an orbital rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS).
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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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By SETH BORENSTEIN  HOUSTON - Space became a tad more crowded Monday morning, but the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis prepared to ease that congestion and go home after one last inspection of its critical heat shield.
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By SETH BORENSTEIN HOUSTON - NASA ordered Atlantis' six astronauts to perform a more extensive inspection of the space shuttle using a 50-foot-boom early Wednesday to see if its heat shield was damaged by a mysterious object that apparently floated off the spacecraft.
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As space shuttle Atlantis crew members continued their return trip to Earth on Wednesday, they waited for results of a final inspection of the spacecraft to make sure its heat shield was in good shape.
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NASA had briefly considered delaying next Tuesdayâs mission after an independent group of engineers raised concerns about microscopic cracks in three heat shield panels that protect the shuttleâs wings.
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Atlantis crew inspect shuttle heat shield    WASHINGTON, June 9 (Xinhua) -- The Atlantis crew spent the first full day in space inspecting the shuttle's heat shield, and they reported a 4-inch (10-centimeter) gap, according to NASA's ground control center on Saturday.
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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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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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Astronauts gave the space shuttle a 4 1/2-hour inspection using cameras on the space shuttle's robotic arm early Wednesday to see if its heat shield was damaged by a mysterious object that apparently floated off the spacecraft.
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - 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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By SETH BORENSTEIN  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With a 4-inch gap in the space shuttle Atlantis' heat-protecting blanket not appearing to be a problem on Saturday, the crew readied themselves for what NASA called a delicate ballet with the international space station.
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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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By Seth Borenstein  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 members readied themselves for what NASA called a delicate ballet with the International Space Station.