Astronauts inspect shuttle for damage

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The Space shuttle Atlantis closed in on the International Space Station on Saturday as shuttle crew checked the ship's wings for any damage from blastoff.

NASA has been concerned about foam insulation falling off the fuel tank during launch ever since it lost the shuttle Columbia and seven astronauts in 2003.

Debris hitting the craft can damage the delicate heat panels and tiles that protect it from the scorching plunge through the atmosphere to return to Earth.

Columbia's wing was damaged by debris during launch and the spaceship was torn apart over Texas as it headed to landing.

Atlantis' launch on Friday, the fifth since the fatal accident, heightened attention on the tank because it needed extensive repairs to fix hail damage.

The shuttle was on the launch pad being prepared for a mid-March takeoff when a freak storm on February 26 dropped hailstones on the ship, forcing NASA to delay it the mission for three months.

There were no immediate signs of hazardous debris flying off the tank during launch, NASA managers said on Friday.

Engineers, however, were studying a bit of insulation on the shuttle's left maneuvering engine pod that had pulled out at one corner.