Shuttle Judged in Top Shape After Mission : Except for Chipped Heat Tiles, Shuttle Is Reported in Top Shape After Flight
Except for about 70 chipped heat tiles that need replacing, the space shuttle Discovery was judged in top shape Tuesday following its successful mission.
“Everything looks really good. Post-inspection shows that it looks as good as ever,” said Lisa Malone, spokeswoman for Kennedy Space Center, at the Ames-Dryden Research Facility here.
She said the chipped tiles will be replaced before Discovery’s next scheduled flight Aug. 24.
After the shuttle’s dawn landing Monday, National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials expressed concern when the aircraft’s wheels sank into the Mojave Desert runway.
But after inspecting the brakes, NASA officials said there was no damage and that the wheels were also in top shape and will be used again.
“It’s the surface (of the desert) entirely,” Malone said. “It was soft underneath.”
Malone said pieces of plywood had to be placed under the wheels before the shuttle could be towed away. It is scheduled to be returned to Florida this weekend.
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