[sarex] Heat Shield Inspection Continues

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C 331468

*Heat Shield Inspection Continues*
12 AUGUST 2007


The STS-118 crew continues to conduct a focused inspection of Space 
Shuttle Endeavour’s heat shield. Using the shuttle’s robotic arm and 
50-foot-long Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS), the crew is taking a 
look at five areas on the underside that may have been damaged during 
the climb to orbit on Aug. 8.

STS-118 Mission Specialists Tracy Caldwell and Barbara Morgan and 
Commander Scott Kelly are the shuttle robotic arm operators for the 
inspection. STS-118 Pilot Charles Hobaugh and Expedition 15 Flight 
Engineer Clay Anderson are operating the International Space Station’s 
robotic arm, which was used to lift the OBSS out of Endeavour’s payload 
bay and hand it off to the shuttle arm.

The data collected by the inspection will be sent to the Mission Control 
Center in Houston for analysis by engineers and flight controllers.

In other activities, cargo transfers continue between Endeavour and the 
station. Also on tap today are preparations for STS-118’s second 
spacewalk, slated to begin at 11:31 a.m. EDT Monday and be conducted by 
Mission Specialists Dave Williams and Rick Mastracchio.

Later today, managers are expected to make a decision about a possible 
mission extension to 14 days for STS-118. The decision will be based 
upon the performance of the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System, 
which is designed to allow shuttles to receive power from the station 
during docked operations.