Spy Satellites Look For Space Station Damage

Ananova ^ | 12-3-2003

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Spy satellites look for space station damage

The Pentagon is using spy satellites to check the International Space Station for exterior damage.

It follows a request by Nasa managers who are anxious to avoid a repeat of the Columbia disaster, in which the shuttle burned up on re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere due to damage to the spacecraft.

While Columbia was in orbit, engineers had pushed for spy satellite pictures of the shuttle to check for damage from a piece of foam insulation that fell off the fuel tank during lift-off. But Nasa managers refused to ask the Pentagon for help.

Nasa hopes the spy satellites can find something which might explain a loud metallic noise heard on the International Space Station last week by British-born astronaut Michael Foale and his Russian colleague.

"In everybody's minds, there is, 'OK, let's make sure we don't miss something.' They're keyed up, they're more attentive than they might otherwise be," said Charles Precourt, deputy manager of Nasa's space station programme at Cape Canaveral.

Soon after the Columbia tragedy, Nasa announced an agreement with the US National Imagery and Mapping Agency for the military routinely to capture detailed satellite images of orbiting shuttles and the space station.

Mr Precourt said the US Defence Department has used its technology to look at the orbiting space station since the noise was reported on November 26. Because of the classified nature of the work, he would not say whether Nasa has obtained any satellite or ground telescope images so far that shed light on the problem. But nothing amiss has been found.

Foale, 46, and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, who are six weeks into a six-month stay aboard the space station, have used the spacecraft's arm and cameras to inspect the exterior of the space station, but the instruments cannot peer into every corner.

Foale and Kaleri had just woken up and were in the Russian living quarters when they heard a noise that sounded like a flapping sheet of metal. The air pressure was stable and all of the station's other systems seemed to be fine, too. It's thought the station may have been hit by debris.

Mr Precourt said the two men may be asked to perform a closer inspection during a spacewalk in February. He said crews often hear "noises in the night" and know what they are, but "this one was unique".

Story filed: 21:08 Wednesday 3rd December 2003