Experts at the US space agency, NASA, are studying hundreds of photographs of the heat shield from the shuttle Discovery for signs of any damage following its lift-off on Tuesday.
The images were recorded yesterday by crew members on the International Space Station as the shuttle prepared to dock with it.
A NASA spokesman, Steve Nesbitt, said early signs were good but more analysis was needed before giving the all-clear for the spacecraft to return to Earth in about ten days' time.
