NASA has cleared Discovery's heat shield for re-entry tomorrow based on the astronauts' inspection with a laser-tipped boom. During re-entry, the shuttle will test out a thermal tile that is deliberately flawed: It has a "speed bump" molded into it. NASA wants to gauge the amount of disturbance in the flow of hypersonic air over the quarter-inch-high bump, and determine the amount of downstream heating. On the eve of their return to Earth, the astronauts exchanged a warm "aloha" with students. (source: cbs47.tv)
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