This is a discussion on Shuttle damaged on way to space station within the Science and Technology forums, part of the The Lounge category; Space shuttle Endeavour rocketed toward the international space station Thursday as engineers on Earth pored over launch pictures that showed ...
Space shuttle Endeavour rocketed toward the international space station Thursday as engineers on Earth pored over launch pictures that showed debris breaking off the fuel tank and striking the craft.
Mission Control told the astronauts late Wednesday that the damage looked less extensive at first glance than what occurred on the last shuttle flight, but it will take days to sort through available data to reach a conclusion.
The astronauts planned a Thursday afternoon inspection of their ship's thermal shielding, using a 100-foot (30-meter) laser-tipped boom. The procedure has been standard since shuttle flights resumed after the Columbia accident.
Shuttle damaged on way to space station 
