NASA Spots More Space Debris Near Shuttle, Landing Delayed
20 September 2006
The U.S. space agency NASA says more debris has been spotted floating near the space shuttle Atlantis.
NASA officials said they discovered the debris as the shuttle's crew surveyed the craft's exterior Wednesday for possible damage. A piece of space debris seen Tuesday prompted that search.
NASA delayed the shuttle's return to Earth until Thursday, to give astronauts and engineers time to inspect the craft to make sure the objects did not break off the shuttle.
The space agency said unfavorable weather conditions near the shuttle's landing site also contributed to the delay.
NASA says it has several options if damage is found, including an in-orbit repair or sending the shuttle back to the International Space Station.
During its mission, the Atlantis crew successfully carried out three challenging spacewalks to install a pair of solar wings on the space station. It was the first construction mission since shuttle flights were grounded in 2003 after the shuttle Columbia broke apart upon re-entry, killing all seven astronauts on board.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
