It’s a problem that won’t go away. The launch of NASA’s shuttle Atlantis on Friday was marred by damage to its heat shield, recalling the Columbia shuttle disaster in 2003.
During launch, the corner of a thermal blanket used to protect one of the shuttle’s engines near its tail peeled back (see Photo). The 10-centimetre tear is a worry because Columbia disintegrated on re-entry after its heat shield was damaged by insulating foam that broke off during take-off.
After the shuttle docked with the International Space Station on Sunday, engineers decided that the blanket must be repaired in orbit.…
