Before returning home, Discovery's astronauts will pull out the laser-tipped inspection boom that they retrieved from the space station after it was left by another shuttle in March, and survey their ship's wings and nose cap.The laser survey normally is conducted the day after liftoff, but Discovery did not have room for the inspection boom because of the giant Kibo lab that filled its payload bay.
The inspection, which will look for any damage from debris generated during the May 31 launch or from micrometeorites in orbit, is one of the safety measures put in place by NASA after the 2003 Columbia accident. Columbia was destroyed during re-entry as a result of a gashed wing.
Flight director Matt Abbott said photography and data collected so far on the shuttle's thermal protective shield indicate the ship is in good shape.
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