NASA might have to send astronauts on a special spacewalking mission to mend a 3ВЅ-inch gouge on the shuttle Endeavour's belly that appears to penetrate through two heat shield tiles that protect the orbiter.

This urged NASA to extend Endeavour's mission to 14 days from 11 days to allow more work on the international space station. The extension will push Endeavour's landing to August 21.

Images gathered by lasers and cameras on an extension to the shuttle's robotic arm confirmed Sunday that a divot went through the 1.12-inch thick tile, exposing some of the heat-resistant feltlike material below.

That material, as well as the tile itself, is designed to protect the orbiter from burning up during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

NASA discovered the gouge on Endeavour's belly few days after it headed for the international space station to perform assembly work, repairs and deliver supplies.

The failure has possibly been caused by ice that broke off the fuel tank a minute after lift off.

The gouge was spotted in a photo taken by the space station crew shortly before Endeavour delivered teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan and her six crewmates to the orbiting outpost.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!