Concerned by the new gap in a thermal blanket shielding part of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, NASA managers have extended the shuttle's mission for an additional two days. The astronauts will now have time to complete repairs before they return to Earth. Engineers do not believe that leaving the blanket open would cause problems during the shuttle's reentry, but feared that doing so would result in the need to repair or replace major components after landing. The rest of the shuttle appears to be in good condition.
The astronauts have also installed 35,000 pounds of new components on the International Space Station, including a new solar array to boost power production for future additional modules. The spacewalk was delayed for one hour after a malfunction disabled the ISS's gyroscopic stablizers. The shuttle temporarily took control of the station to keep it properly oriented until the ISS's gryroscopes were reinstated.
The shuttle is scheduled to return to Earth next week, and will be bringing back US astronaut Sunita Williams, who has spent the last six months in space aboard the ISS.
Concerned by the new gap in a thermal blanket shielding part of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, NASA managers have extended the shuttle's mission for an additional two days. The astronauts will now have time to complete repairs before they return to Earth. Engineers do not believe that leaving the blanket open would cause problems during the shuttle's reentry, but feared that doing so would result in the need to repair or replace major components after landing. The rest of the shuttle appears to be in good condition.
