Update: Torn Insulation Likely No Danger

A small strip of white insulating blanket apparently torn from the Endeavour's left side during launch is not considered a serious safety concern, managers said today.

"In general, that area is not one that sees a lot of high thermal load," said LeRoy Cain, a senior shuttle program manager, during a 5 p.m. briefing at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The area in question is just below the Orbital Maneuvering System pod near the rear, left side of the shuttle.

The shuttle's reinforced carbon-carbon wing edges and nose cap, and tiles on the orbiter's belly are exposed to the hottest temperatures on re-entry into Earth's atmosphere - as high as 3,000 degrees.

The crew has spent most of today inspecting today the wings and nose, and the bottom of the shuttle will be photographed from the International Space Station just before Sunday's docking.

To be safe, Endeavour's crew will take more images of the torn insulation while scanning the left wing tonight.

Cain said a launch photo appears to show a 12- to 18-inch strip of the Felt Reuseable Surface Insulation, which is a fraction of an inch thick, is missing. Past instances of losing such blankets has typically been blamed on stitching or adhesive coming undone, he said.

Cain noted that an aluminum plate located just below the lost strip does not require any additional thermal protection. Above that area, a row of black tiles is used for structural toughness, he said, not because more heat protection is needed.

Cain described a software glitch affecting an antenna as a minor issue that could increase ground controllers' workload but wouldn't disrupt the flight. The shuttle may need to use a star-tracking system instead of radar for navigation as it docks with the International Space Station.

"That's a very well-trained and well-understood practice," he said.

It could be several days before teams fully analyze launch and inspection imagery . Cain said there is not enough information yet to know if debris might have struck the shuttle's more sensitive heat-resistant surfaces.

"So far, they're happy with the imagery that they're getting," he said.

The next mission briefing is at 8 p.m. Watch it here at The Flame Trench by clicking on the NASA TV viewer on the right side of the page.

IMAGE NOTE: Click on the images to enlarge them. Above, an image taken from Endeavour's robotic arm and boom show the area where managers believe a small strip of insulating blanket may have torn from the side of the shuttle. Below, a picture provided by NASA in this afternoon's briefing circles the area of interest in red.