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| Image above: On an upper level of high bay 1 of the
Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians move protective material toward
the nose cone of Atlantis' external tank |
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Hail damage inspection underway
Space Shuttle Atlantis was rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building
from Launch Pad 39A due to hail damage to the tank during a severe thunderstorm
that happened on Feb. 26.
Further evaluation of the tank is necessary to get an accurate accounting
of foam damage and determine the type of repair required and the time
needed for that work.
The hail caused approximately 1,000 to 2,000 divots in the giant tank's
foam insulation and minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles
on the orbiter's left wing.
A new target launch date has not been determined, but teams will focus
on preparing Atlantis for liftoff in late April on mission STS-117.
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.
STS-117 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.
The Atlantis flight crew will return to Kennedy Space Center a few days
before launch.
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