United States
Damage to the heat shield of the space shuttle Endeavour is minor and should not endanger the craft on its return to Earth, the shuttle’s commander said this week. “My understanding is that this tile damage is not an issue of the safety of the crew,” shuttle commander Scott Kelly said. “I’m not concerned with our safety.” The damage occurred when a piece of insulation struck the heat-shielding tiles on the underside of the shuttle’s hull during liftoff last week. The shuttle astronauts and ground control are debating whether to send an astronaut on a space walk to repair the damage with a sealant.
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