NASA nixes shuttle repair

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- NASA officials say a small gouge in the underside of the space shuttle Endeavour does not a pose a risk to re-entry.

After hours of reviewing data and imagery collected during inspections by the shuttle crew, mission managers decided against sending astronauts on a spacewalk to repair the gouge, NASA said Friday in a release.

Engineers said the heat of re-entry will erode some of the tile on the belly of the shuttle but that there is no danger of it causing damage to the underlying aluminum structure, The New York Times said.

The shuttle was damaged when a small piece of foam fell off the external fuel tank during liftoff and hit the underside. The gouge is about three inches wide.