Mon, Mar 19, 2007
Space Shuttle Atlantis, surrounded by service platforms in
highbay 1 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, continues to
undergo inspection for hail damage. Special scaffolding and access
platforms have been erected to allow for the mapping and inspection
of the external fuel tank. Repair methods and criteria are also
being developed.
Repairs to the orbiter thermal protection system tiles are
nearly complete and technicians are preparing to conduct
non-destructive evaluation of the vehicle's reinforced carbon
carbon panels on the left wing leading edge using thermography
equipment.
Shuttle Program managers plan to meet next week to assess the
damage and repair status to the external tank.
Mission STS-117 to the International Space Station will be
scheduled sometime after a Russian Soyuz spacecraft returns from
the station. The Soyuz is delivering new station crew members and
returning others to Earth in late April. Adequate time is needed
between the Soyuz undocking and the shuttle's arrival to the
station.
During the 11-day mission, the six-member crew will install a
new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new
set on the starboard side of the station. Lessons learned from two
previous missions will provide the astronauts with new techniques
and tools to perform their duties.
Atlantis Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and
Mission Specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson
and John "Danny" Olivas will continue training at NASA's Johnson
Space Center in Houston as they await a new target launch date.
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