久久亚洲国产成人影院-久久亚洲国产的中文-久久亚洲国产高清-久久亚洲国产精品-亚洲图片偷拍自拍-亚洲图色视频

  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Discovery's astronauts to inspect shuttle
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-29 18:57

Discovery's astronauts were unloading 15 tons of supplies onto the space station Friday and they planned to check the shuttle for damage after NASA said a chunk of foam may have hit a wing during liftoff, reported the Associated Press.


Discovery's robot arm raises the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module from the cargo bay with the Earth in the background in this view from television Friday, July 29, 2005. The Raffaello can hold 15 tons of equipment, this would be equal to 7 1/2 Progress resupply ships. [AP]

"They want to get all of the angles to make sure that we haven't missed any small thing," deputy shuttle program manger Wayne Hale said.

NASA said Thursday that Discovery escaped damage from the potentially deadly chunk of foam that broke off from the fuel tank, but may have been struck in the wing by a much smaller piece. Even if the small foam fragment did hit, engineers believe the impact caused no damage of concern, Hale said.

Despite the latest development, officials said Discovery still looks safe to fly home in a week, but stressed it will be another few days before the space agency can conclusively give the shuttle a clean bill of health.

NASA analysts have identified 11 areas - including Discovery's wings, nose and belly - they want astronauts to take another look at. Nine of those areas were set to be examined Friday using the shuttle's new laser-tipped extension to its robotic arm.

Astronauts Stephen Robinson and Soichi Noguichi were to take a personal look at the other two areas - along the leading edges of the shuttles wings - during the mission's first spacewalk Saturday. It will be the first of three orbital outings.

During the spacewalks, Robinson and Noguichi will replace a gyroscope, which helps steer the space station; try out new repair techniques for the shuttle's tiles and delicate carbon panels; and install a storage platform on the station.

In television images Friday, Robinson and Noguichi smiled and waved to the camera as they worked weightlessly about the station, wearing yellow plastic hard hats for comic effect. Robinson, with a manual in his hand, wore a hat so tiny it didn't come close to covering his head.

The lighthearted atmosphere contrasted with days of sobering news for the shuttle program.

NASA suspended future shuttle flights earlier this week after learning that the big piece of foam insulation, which weighed less than a pound, flew from Discovery's external fuel tank. It was an alarming repeat of the problem that doomed Columbia more than two years ago.

The piece of insulating foam that broke off Columbia's external tank during liftoff knocked a hole in its left wing. The searing gases of re-entry melted the wing from the inside out, causing the spacecraft to disintegrate as it headed to Cape Canaveral, Fla. in February 2003. All seven astronauts aboard died.

The small bit of foam that may have hit Discovery's right wing came off about 20 seconds after the big piece, and was from the same general area, Hale said. None of the newly installed wing sensors detected anything unusual.

An earlier inspection with the laser didn't reveal any damage. Camera views during liftoff were inconclusive because the foam tumbled out of sight.

NASA already has run tests showing that if the foam did strike the wing, it would have exerted just one-tenth of the energy needed to cause worrisome damage, Hale said.

"So we feel very good about this," he said.

If the astronauts do find a problem with the shuttle, however, the contingency plan is to use untested repair techniques that were developed after the Columbia disaster or have the astronauts stay on the space station until a rescue mission can be launched.

NASA said Friday it was trying to come up with ways to leave more water and oxygen aboard the space station than initially planned, given the grounding of its shuttle fleet. Water is generated as a byproduct of the shuttle's fuel cells, which power the spacecraft.



American women call for end of war
Israeli forces storm Gaza settlement
South Korean, DPRK separated families hold video reunions
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Guangzhou oil supply 'returning to normal'

 

   
 

First joint drill with Russia launched

 

   
 

Scotland bank in US$3.1b deal for BOC stake

 

   
 

China-US textile talks make progress

 

   
 

Opinion: Corruption has to stay capital crime

 

   
 

'Bird flu may cause global economic mayhem'

 

   
  al-Qaida leader in Saudi Arabia killed
   
  Iraq lawmakers work on draft constitution
   
  Israeli forces storm Gaza Synagogues
   
  Encephalitis kills 79 children in India
   
  Almost 90 arrested after Bangladesh bombings
   
  Tigers agree to review Sri Lanka truce, emergency extended
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 国产午夜精品不卡观看 | 91精品国产一区二区三区左线 | 国产精品成人久久久久 | 一区二区在线欧美日韩中文 | 亚洲国产精品日韩高清秒播 | 嫩草影院在线观看网站成人 | 91欧美精品综合在线观看 | 欧美三级在线 | 纯欧美一级毛片免费 | 黄色a三级免费看 | 一级毛片在线免费视频 | 亚洲美色综合天天久久综合精品 | 国产中文在线视频 | 特级aa毛片在线播放 | 日本高清不卡在线观看 | 香蕉一区二区三区观 | 美女视频黄视大全视频免费网址 | 日本阿v视频在线观看高清 日本波多野结衣视频 | 男女午夜爱爱久久无遮挡 | 亚洲国产欧美另类 | 性欧美成人依依影院 | 欧美亚洲国产日韩一区二区三区 | 久久精品a| 成年人在线视频观看 | 九九视频在线观看 | a一级特黄日本大片 s色 | 精品国产欧美一区二区三区成人 | 99综合视频| 欧美 自拍 | 欧美日韩在线播一区二区三区 | 精品久久久视频 | 国产成人在线看 | 中文字幕日韩在线 | 爆操巨乳美女 | 亚洲国产一区在线 | 免费国产成人综合 | 免费视频观看在线www日本 | 久久精品免费播放 | 成人亚洲精品777777 | 99久久免费精品视频 | 91啦国产|