Crew uses boom to check shuttle's skin

Endeavour's astronauts inspected their ship's thermal skin Friday for any damage from orbital debris, using a laser-tipped boom that will be left behind at the international space station. The slow and meticulous survey normally is conducted after a space shuttle leaves the space station. This time, it was done with the shuttle still docked. That's because the 50-foot inspection boom will be left behind for the next shuttle crew. More

(Source: CNN.com - Mar 22)