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HOUSTON - Nasa yesterday put off a fourth spacewalk for the Endeavour crew as officials said they had not decided whether to repair a gouge in the space shuttle's heat shield.
While the US space agency studied the 7.5 by 5cm gash in Endeavour's belly, a spacewalking astronaut had to go back inside after finding a hole in his glove during work outside the International Space Station.
The fourth spacewalk, which includes other tasks besides the possible repair, had been scheduled for today but would now take place tomorrow, Nasa said.
Mission manager John Shannon said more tests were being run on mockups, but analysis so far "showed there would be no danger at all" if Endeavour returned to Earth without the repair.
- Reuters
