Endeavour crew may have to repair thermal shield

New images of the space shuttle Endeavour confirmed that the shuttle’s protective thermal shield has been breached, prompting an intensive flurry of tests to establish whether it could be at risk during its return to Earth. NASA officials said the entire thickness of a heat-resistant tile has been pierced, raising the possibility that hot gases could seep in and overheat the vehicle during re–entry later this month. They stressed, however, that it was still unclear whether such a risk exists—and even if it does, the crew is equipped to carry out simple repairs while in orbit to make it safe. Read the story and see a picture of Barbara Morgan, educator, astronaut, and longtime member of the International Reading Association at the London Times online.