Early tile inspection shows no damage

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Early reports from the thermal tile inspection showed no damage from falling foam or ice. Six pieces of foam were seen falling from the external tank during ascent and ice buildup was noticed on a fuel line before launch.

"Nobody's seen anything of any significance," Rick LaBrode, STS-120 lead flight director, said during an 11:30 a.m. press briefing in Houston.

However, images from the wing inspection will be examined in detail to make sure no damage was missed. The inspection was slowed over the wing leading edges to more thoroughly check for changes in three scratches in the silica carbide coating on leading edge panels.

LaBrode said that after an interface card was exchanged, a computer network had begun working normally in the shuttle.

Discovery's crew is preparing for a 7:35 a.m. EDT Thursday docking with the International Space Station.

The crew also began checking out the spacesuits that will be used on five spacewalks. About 2 p.m. EDT, the crew will check out rendezvous tools. A rocket firing about 3:30 p.m. will bring the shuttle closer to the ISS, and at 5:38 p.m. the crew's day ends with sleep.

On the space station, the ISS crew pressurized the docking port in preparation for Thursday's rendezvous.

The 14-day mission ends Nov. 6.

Look over our STS-120 launch day extras page.