The Nation - News from Oct. 5, 1988

The shuttle Discovery came back from space “looking as good or better than any previous shuttle flight,” John J. (Tip) Talone Jr., NASA ground processing director for the shuttle program, said at Edwards Air Force Base after examining the spacecraft. There was only one minor gouge about a foot long in the tile system under the right wing, he said. The landing gear brakes, which have had problems on previous missions, appeared to be in perfect condition, Talone said. Discovery’s brake linings had been strengthened and the landing gear metal beefed up. Talone said an examination of the cooling system found no trace of a problem, although the astronauts had been forced to work in 80-degree temperatures during the flight. The cooling system will be further checked after the shuttle arrives back at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida this weekend.