European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes Friday december 9,1988 a photo taken tuesday during re entry of Atlantis shows bruising of inc tiles on the shuttle s Underbelly. Atlantis suffered tile bruising during launch of mystery flight Cape canaveral Fia. A space shuttle Atlantis sustained heavier than Normal damage to its Thermal tiles during liftoff on its just completed flight and about 150 tiles will have Law replaced a space Agency official said wednesday. The damage comparatively is significant but it s not a major concern said Conrad Nagel Atlantis processing director. We have to understand Why we had this damage and keep it from happening  he said the damage would be easy to repair and would not affect Atlantis next flight scheduled for liftoff on april 28. Overall he said  re turned from its secret military Mission in a very clean condition Niafiel reported that the tile bruising apparently occurred during the launch phase probably by Impact with something Loose and thai in night the five Astro nauts inspected and assessed the damage using a Tele vision camera on the end of the ship s 50-Fooi Rob Tarm. The shuttle is covered with about 28,000 tiles mad of various materials designed to protect the orbiter from atmospheric re entry heal. He said the tile dam age posed no threat to the shuttle s return to Earth. Nagel said the heaviest damage was concentrated in a strip 3-10-4 feel Lone Down the right hand Side along the line of the  he said one tile in the nose was missing and it looked like it was popped off by the impart of some  there was speculation that a part from the solid fuel Booster rockets inc external tank or the orbiter might have fallen off and hit the Craft. Nagl said he did not want to speculate. He said a Small panel was missing from one of at lantis mane vering engines but Nasa said this prob ably did not cause the problem. Nagel made his comments in an interview from Edward fab calif., where he leads a team thai is inspecting Atlantis and preparing it for return to the Kennedy space Center atop a Boeing 747 Airliner he said Atlantis tile damage was about twice that suffered by discovery which made the first Post Chal Lenger shuttle flight two months ago. A appears that Between 125 and 175 tiles will have to be scrapped and replaced Nagel said. In addition he said scores of tiles with scratches and dings will have to be repaired in place. Dinged tiles arc common on a shuttle with much of the damage being caused by objects kicked up from the runway when the vehicle lands. He reported brakes and about 200 other systems modified since the challenger explosion 34 months ago worked Well. He said that during the four Day flight there were Only a few technical problems most involving system Mont wring instruments. He said Atlantis and the Boeing 747 would leave Edwards on sunday and Stop overnight at Kelly fab near san Antonio before arriving at the Kennedy space Center on monday. Stateside $1 million damage caused by broken water main Newton mass. A a Hurst Walcer main flooded 20 houses and caused Ai least Al million damage in this Boston suburb Days after a work Crew decided that repairs on the Leaky main could be delayed authorities said. To was a Gusher. If it had been Oil we would be Rich mayor Theodore Mann said tuesday. A leak in the 48-Inch main was reported sat urday said Paul Dinatali a spokesman for the Massachusetts water resources authority. A Crew was dispatched but decided the problem could Wail until tuesday for repair he said. The flood forced 38 people to find shelter elsewhere and was expected to close a main Street for at teas 10 Days authorities said. Huge solar explosions expected late next year san Francisco up an expert thursday predicted immense solar explosions nearly unmatched in four centuries Wilt Peak in late 1989, disrupting some communications and threatening costly military satellites. All indications arc the current solar Cycle no. 22 will be inc second largest and maybe even the biggest since Galileo s Lime when scientists discovered the cycles said Kenneth Shiwen research astrophysicist at Goddard space flight Center in Green balt  11 years or so the Sun s outer layers erupt in a Blaze of turbulent magnetic storms characterized by an increase in sunspots and fiery explosions known As solar flares. The Sun s activity can disrupt global communications and Power transmissions influence weather and endanger space voyagers and satellites. Class cancelled after prof accused of anti semitism Binghamton new York up stale University of new York has cancelled a philosophy of religion class this semester and nut after students accused he instructor of making Ami semitic remarks. Associate professor of philosophy Sid Thomas class was terminated or cancelled because of disruptions of the learning environment said Lois Peters acting director of University relations. Thomas is under investigation by the professional standards committee of the University s faculty Senate for allegedly making anti semitic remarks in the Wake of vandalism at the jewish student Union office on nov. 10. Students claim that during the class on nov. 11, Thomas denounced jews for bringing the vandalism upon themselves. The teacher claims his remarks were misinterpreted and were not anti semitic Neill declines offer of Job As envoy to Washington elect George Bush offered former House speaker Thomas p. O Neill the Job of ambassador to Ireland a Post in which the Massachusetts Democrat once expressed an interest but o Neill turned in Down for personal reasons a Bush aide confirmed thursday.  Secretary Sheila tale said Bush was disappointed that o Neill declined the offer made during a private meeting Friday because inc vice presi Dent Felt o Neill would have been a wonderful  the offer was first reported in thurs Day s editions of the Boston Globe. Tate confirmed the accuracy of the account saying the vice president did indeed offer the ambassador ship to tip o Neill.". The Post is held by Margaret Hecktor a former congresswoman from Massachusetts. O Neill 76. Told the newspaper that he Mel with Bush and his wife Barbara but did not discuss details of the session. One Factor in o Neill s decision was the health of his wife Millie the Globe said. O Neill told the newspaper tuesday that site was suffering from pneumonia. Tale said o Neill Felt apparently qui