There's new trouble for the Space Shuttle Endeavour, but we won't know how bad it is until the weekend. NASA had the crew of the rocket do an inspection Friday just before it docked with the International Space Station.
After studying the pictures from the maneuver, scientists believed they saw something wrong. So they took a closer look. Their analysis: a piece of ice that came from a fuel tank a minute after liftoff on Wednesday may have broken off and gouged the underside of the ship. Officials still aren't sure how serious the problem is or what it might mean when the crew - which includes Canadian Dave Williams - attempts a re-entry into Earth's atmosphere two weeks from now.
Astronauts will use the Canadarm to do further tests on Sunday, using lasers to gauge the size of the gash in order to determine if repairs are needed.
Even a small problem is deemed significant on the sturdy but still fragile craft. A piece of foam insulation that damaged the wing is believed responsible for the destruction of the Columbia, which broke into pieces in the skies over Texas in February 2003. At least nine other pieces of the same material are believed to have come off during this flight, and three pieces appeared to strike the craft. None is believed to have been big enough to cause critical damage.
BRUCE WEAVER/AFP/Getty Images
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