Atlantis Docks
Space shuttle Atlantis has docked with the International Space Station. Everything so far has gone smoothly except for one problem found on a thermal blanket. That may require repair before Atlantis tries to land.
But amid the smiles and salutations, questions remained unanswered about a section of peeled-back thermal blanket on the shuttle. Engineers continued to review photographs of the affected area to determine whether it could pose a problem when Atlantis returns to Earth next week.
Hatches between the two spacecraft opened about 1 1/2-hours after the shuttle docked with the space station following leak checks.
"Atlantis arriving," U.S. space station resident Sunita Williams said after the traditional ringing of a bell.
Atlantis' astronauts floated into the space station's Destiny laboratory and hugged each of the station's residents, which besides Williams includes commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and cosmonaut Oleg Kotov.
After exchanging greetings and receiving a safety briefing from Yurchikhin, both crews resumed working…..
….NASA engineers are focusing their attention on a gap about 4 inches by 6 inches that was discovered after Friday's launch from Kennedy Space Center.
Engineers weren't sure whether stitching on the blanket came loose or whether the blanket, covering a pod of engines near the shuttle's tail, was hit by debris during launch.
The rest of the vehicle appeared to be in fine shape, NASA said. Sensors reported six hits on the wing during launch but engineers were not concerned about them.
Engineers are deciding whether the area warrants repair. The fault has been seen on earlier missions and is in an area that only heats to about 700 degrees during landing. (Only 700 degrees. Yeesh.)
By Chris, Monday, 11 June , 2007 @ 5:44 am
700 degrees Fahrenheit? Hell, I use a furnace at 700 Centigrade every day. We heat quartz vessels up to 900 degrees C routinely.
Of course, I don’t stick my tongue in there……