Shuttle appears undamaged, check shows

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Atlantis’ astronauts spent their first full day in orbit Friday scrupulously checking their ship for any launch day damage, as they steered ever closer to the international space station.

As the shuttle drew closer with every circling of Earth, the seven-man crew inspected its wings and nose for any sign of launch damage, using a 100-foot laser-tipped boom. The images were beamed down to Earth for analysis by engineers; a quick look revealed nothing amiss. Some pieces of insulating foam fell off the external tank three times during liftoff Thursday.