Two days ago, I wrote about the 3-D imaging technology of the Canadian-based company Neptec used to build the eyes of the space shuttle and to help determine the importance of external damages to Discovery. Iain Christie, director of research and development at Neptec, sent me some images of the scans that were taken on orbit. These images are not yet on the company's web site and, to my knowledge, haven't appeared anywhere else. After analysis of these images, NASA concluded that the damages to the shuttle wing and to its nose landing gear door didn't represent a threat to the shuttle on re-entry. Read more to see these images.
The three images below -- and their captions -- are reproduced here courtesy of Neptec. Please note that I slightly modified some parameters of the images such as contrast or brightness because of their reduced sizes.
[This is] a false colour Laser Camera system (LCS) scan of an area of the underside of the shuttle wing. The analysis shows a small area of missing tile material. The scan is from the shuttle wing "chine" area near where the wing joins the body of the shuttle and about five tile rows forward of the trailing edge of the wing. The image is colour coded such that deeper damage is coloured red. Based on analysis of this data NASA concluded that this area does not represent a threat to the shuttle on re-entry.
[And this is a] 3D wireframe model of the area of damaged tile on the underside of the shuttle wing. The model is colour coded to show the depth of the damage. The LCS data was collected from approximately 4 meters away and is accurate to about 2 millimeters. Based on this data NASA mission managers were able to determine that this damage is not a threat to the shuttle during re-entry.
[Finally, here is a] false colour LCS scan of an area near the shuttle's nose landing gear door. The analysis shows a small area of missing tile material. The image is colour coded such that deeper damage is coloured red. Based on analysis of this data NASA concluded that this area does not represent a threat to the shuttle on re-entry.
You'll find soon larger (and much nicer) versions of these images -- along with other details -- on Neptec web site.
And now, let's hope that NASA correctly interpreted these scans and that the Discovery astronauts come back safely next Monday.
Source: Neptec, August 4, 2005
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