Astronauts use robot arm for shuttle safety scan
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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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Two prototype spacecraft, one wielding its own robotic arm, are poised to launch spaceward late Thursday on a three-month mission to test methods for robotically refueling satellites in Earth orbit.
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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 aboard NASAâs shuttle Atlantis will scan their heat shield today for any signs of dings or divots as they prepare for a weekend arrival at the International Space Station (ISS).
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Discovery's astronauts scanned the space shuttle's heat shield for potential damage, a day after a launch that apparently did not damage the orbiter, NASA said.
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By Mike Schneider  Astronauts used the international space station's robotic arm Monday to examine a spot on the shuttle Discovery's left wing where sensors detected a "very low" impact, NASA officials said.
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Spacewalking astronauts aim to repair a damaged thermal blanket on the space shuttle Atlantis on Friday as U.S. and Russian controllers struggle with a worrying computer failure on the International Space Station.
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By MIKE SCHNEIDER CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After a handful of unsuccessful attempts Friday to coax a solar array to fold properly, NASA officials now plan to send two spacewalkers to examine it close up.
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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 RASHA MADKOUR HOUSTON - Using their ship's robotic arm, astronauts aboard space shuttle Atlantis handed over the first big addition to the international space station in more than 3 1/2 years Monday and will conduct three spacewalks to install the giant new section.
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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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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - Crew members on the International Space Station donned yellow construction helmets on Thursday and used a robotic crane to move a passageway for visiting spaceships and connecting modules.
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By MIKE SCHNEIDER  HOUSTON - Astronauts James Reilly and Danny Olivas were planning to keep their eyes on their gloves today during the first spacewalk of Atlantis' visit to the international space station.
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By MIKE SCHNEIDER  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Atlantis' astronauts gave the ship's wings and nose one last inspection Monday with a remotely operated TV camera and laser, and NASA said there appeared to be no damage that would prevent the shuttle from coming home.
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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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HOUSTON - Astronauts aboard NASA's shuttle Discovery will take a few hours off Monday after some delicate robotic arm work to move a massive girder outside the International Space Station (ISS), while engineers on Earth study contamination in one of the orbital laboratory's solar array-turning joints.
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SPACE shuttle Atlantis's six astronauts were yesterday preparing to inspect the orbiter's thermal skin for damage as they soared towards the international space station.