SPACE.com -- Endeavour's Thermal Tiles Cleared for Liftoff


	Endeavour's Thermal Tiles Cleared for Liftoff By Todd Halvorson Cape Canaveral Bureau Chief posted: 03:37 pm ET 24 January 2000

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA engineers completed an exhaustive analysis of shuttle Endeavour's protective thermal tiles Monday, clearing the way for the planned launch next week of an unprecedented Earth mapping mission.

Endeavour and its international crew, which includes astronauts from the U.S., Europe and Japan, remain scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) between 12:47 p.m. and 2:49 p.m. Eastern Standard Time January 31.

Their mission: To make a three-dimensional topographic map of Earth that is unrivaled in terms of accuracy.

NASA managers last week tentatively scheduled the launch for January 31 after an all-day flight readiness review here at KSC. The only caveat then was the completion of an analysis of fragile ceramic tiles that protect the ship and its crew from intense heat experienced during atmospheric reentry.

That work was finished up Monday, prompting NASA managers to make the January 31 launch date official.

"We're good to go," said KSC spokesman Joel Wells. "The program feels very confident that Endeavour's tiles are ready for flight and we're pushing ahead with launch countdown preparations."

Technicians on Monday hooked up small pyrotechnic devices that will be used to separate Endeavour from its launch platform, solid rocket boosters and external tank during flight.

Inspections in the shuttle's cramped rear engine compartment will continue through the week.

Endeavour's crew, led by veteran astronaut Kevin Kregel, is scheduled to fly to KSC at noon Thursday. The crew also includes pilot Dom Gorie, payload commander Janice Voss, flight engineer Janet Kavandi, mission specialist Gerhard Thiele of the European Space Agency and mission specialist Mamoru Mohri of the Japanese Space Agency.

Endeavour, a $1.8 billion replacement for shuttle Challenger, will be making its 14th flight. The 11-day mission is scheduled to conclude with a 4:55 p.m. EST February 11 landing at KSC's 3-mile-long shuttle runway.