FT Chronicle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA says the handful of defects on space shuttle Endeavour are too small to pose any threat.

Mission managers agreed Friday that there’s nothing that would prevent Endeavour and its six astronauts from returning safely to Earth.

Managers came to that unanimous conclusion after reviewing pictures from Monday’s launch and data collected from orbit. Management team leader LeRoy Cain says a cracked thermal tile and protruding ceramic spacer on the cockpit are so small that even if they managed to break off during re-entry and strike Endeavour, no serious damage would result.

Endeavour will remain at the International Space Station until the end of next week. Astronauts need to finish installing a new room and lookout. - AP