FIGURE 6–4 Use of remote manipulator system to survey orbiter for damage. Source: NASA.

radiator will reduce the worst case risk of early mission termination by approximately a factor of 10. The proposed solution appears to be fairly simple to implement and can be accomplished in a relatively short time. The design modification to prevent melting or overheating of critical structural components inside the leading edge of a wing that has been perforated by a meteoroid or orbital debris should reduce the probability of critical failure and require only a minor increase in vehicle mass.