Astronauts check potential shuttle problem [View All]

Astronauts check potential shuttle problem

Sensor readings spark concern; extra inspection of left wing conducted

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the wake of the shuttle Discovery's successful docking with the international space station, astronauts turned their attention Monday night to a potential problem with the leading edge on the shuttle's left wing — the same general area that was damaged in the shuttle Columbia's fatal flight almost four years ago.

The shuttle's sensors indicated that there could have been a shift or debris hit affecting some of the panels on the leading edge's reinforced carbon-carbon panels, Mission Control told the crew. As a result, the astronauts changed their time line, and used the shuttle's camera-tipped robotic arm to take a closer look at the panels. An initial look did not turn up anything that would give cause for concern, NASA officials told NBC News.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16151359/