Inspecting Endeavour

Shuttle astronauts are inspecting Endeavour's heat shield today before Friday's scheduled return home. Since the loss of Columbia, such inspections have often focused on finding damage that may have been done during launch.

This inspection, however, is different. Astronauts are looking for damage that might have been done by micrometeors-- and, no doubt, orbiting debris-- during the time Endeavour has been in space.

After STS-127, there are seven more scheduled shuttle flights.