NASA rules out fourth Discovery spacewalk CTV.ca News Staff
Discovery astronauts won't have to perform a spacewalk to repair a torn thermal blanket. NASA has informed the seven astronauts on board the shuttle that it will be safe for re-entry as it is, with the torn blanket below the cockpit window.
"We have good news,'' Mission Control radioed to Discovery. The mission management team concluded that the torn blanket "is safe for return. There's no issue.''
If NASA had ordered a spacewalk, it would have been the fourth of the mission, and the second time during the flight that the astronauts had to step outside to repair the shuttle's thermal protection.
Earlier Thursday, the astronauts paid homage to those who died on the shuttle Columbia in 2003.
Each astronaut on Discovery, now linked with the International Space Station, offered thoughts about the crew of Columbia and others who have died in the quest for space.
"We will remember them," Commander Eileen Collins said. "Space explorers realize things never dreamed.''
Afterwards, NASA observed three-and-a-half minutes of silence.
Columbia broke up over Texas during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003.
Foam that broke off the external fuel tank and hit the shuttle as it was launching was blamed for the spacecraft's demise.
Discovery is the first shuttle mission since Columbia. Despite spending more than two years and $1 billion on upgrades to fix the foam problem, the same issue surfaced when the shuttle blasted off.
NASA quickly moved to ground all shuttle flights until the problem is resolved. Environmental destruction on Earth.
Also Thursday, Discovery astronauts reported seeing widespread environmental destruction on Earth.
In a conversation with Japanese officials in Tokyo, Collins said that, from her vantage point, she could see erosion and deforestation on Earth.
"It's very widespread in some parts of the world," she said. She urged people to "take good care of the Earth and replace the resources that have been used."
Collins, flying her fourth shuttle mission, said the Earth's atmosphere must be protected, too. Discovery is due to return to Earth on Aug. 8 at 4:46 a.m. ET.
| | Aqua Delphinus (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1){kind=small} aquadelphinus) wrote, |
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enraged
We seen this coming, now they can actually see it. ...
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