American astronauts are undertaking repairs to the Space Shuttle Discovery’s heat resistant tiles.

They need to remove some ‘gap fillers’ that have come loose from their positions between tiles and now protrude somewhat. The danger is that, during re-entry, these protruding items will direct heat disproportionately onto a few tiles and may cause serious danger to the shuttle.

We get used to space travel and, despite occasional disasters, see it pretty much as a workaday thing for NASA. I think now might be a good point to remember that these people, in their daring, their innovation and their courage, epitomise the very best of the human spirit. America should be proud of them.

We wish them the best of luck.