Rogue knob could ground space shuttle Atlantis

[Rick]

NASA is pondering how to remove a rogue knob which has firmly wedged itself between a window and the dashboard of space shuttle Atlantis - an apparently minor affair which could actually result in a six-month delay in the venerable vehicle's STS-129 mission to the International Space Station, or even see the shuttle grounded for good.

According to NASAspaceflight.com, the offending part is "a quick shoe mount knob from a crew work lamp" which was discovered during maintenance work at the shuttle's Orbiter Processing Facility.

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/26/atlantis_rogue_knob/

NASA: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/06/window-damage-on-atlantis-threatens-six-month-delay-to-sts-129/

[Rick]

NASA technicians have successfully removed the rogue knob which had wedged itself between a window and the dashboard of space shuttle Atlantis.

A slight pressurisation of Atlantis and repeated applications of dry ice failed to dislodge the "quick shoe mount knob from a crew work lamp". In the end, NASA gave the go-ahead to "use hand pressure to manipulate it loose".

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/01/atlantis_knob_removed/