STS-118, flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour in August 2007, was a 12-day International Space Station (ISS) assembly mission. During the ascent phase, a small but significant crack was discovered in a thermal protection tile on the orbiter’s underbelly. This report details the discovery, risk assessment, in-flight repair techniques, and the ultimate success of the mission. Despite the crack, the mission concluded without compromise to crew or vehicle safety—rendering the event a “crack-free” outcome in operational terms. The incident provided critical data for post-Columbia shuttle safety protocols.
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