STS-117: Hail Damaged Orbiter Wing And Tank

Monday's hailstorm did not only ding the foam on Atlantis' ET, it damaged some tiles on the Orbiter's left wing as well. NASA reports…

Atlantis to Roll Back

NASA officials have made the decision that Space Shuttle Atlantis will roll back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair on Saturday, March 3 with first motion scheduled for 7 a.m.

Monday's severe thunderstorm with hail caused what could be 1,000 to 2,000 divots in the giant tank's foam insulation and minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the shuttle's left wing.

Further evaluation of the tank is necessary to get an accurate accounting of foam damage and must be done in the Vehicle Assembly Building, where the entire tank can be more easily accessed.

Once an up-close look at the damage is complete, the type of repair required and the time needed for that work can be determined.

A new target launch date has not been determined, but teams will focus on preparing Atlantis for liftoff in late April.

The two-day Flight Readiness Review at NASA's Kennedy Space Center conducted by top-level NASA officials, space shuttle program managers, engineers and contractors will continue as planned.

Mission STS-117 to the International Space Station will be scheduled sometime after a Russian Soyuz spacecraft returns from the station. The Soyuz is delivering new station crew members and returning others back to Earth in late April. Adequate time is needed between the Soyuz undocking and the shuttle's arrival to the station.