tile damage – Behind The Black

Analysis shows damaged tile no threat to re-entry

May 22, 2011 8:36 am Robert Zimmerman

Analysis has shown that the damaged shuttle tile on Endeavour is not a problem for re-entry.

Gouges and dings found on the tiles on Endeavour’s belly

May 18, 2011 8:02 pm Robert Zimmerman

Seven damage sites, mostly small gouges and dings, have been found on the tiles on Endeavour’s belly.

“This is not cause for alarm, it’s not cause for any concern,” said [LeRoy Cain, chairman of NASA’s Mission Management Team]. “We know how to deal with these things in terms of how to assess them. We know that if we get to the point where we need some more data for our assessment, we have a plan for going and doing that.”