System inspects space-shuttle tiles
To ensure safe re-entry, an infrared-based scanning system creates 3-D images and maps of thermal shields.
The Neptic Design Group designed and built a laser camera system (LCS) to assist NASA in determining damage incurred to the space shuttle's thermal-protection tiles during the Discovery's 'Return to Flight' STS-114 mission in August 2005. The system showed that there was no threat to the crew on re-entry. Areas of interest located on the shuttle's tiles were first identified from video cameras collocated with Neptec's LCS, as well as from high-definition digital pictures taken from the International Space Station. The areas were then scanned by the LCS to determine the amount of damage, if any, that occurred.