The space shuttle Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Aug. 21, 2007.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- NASA said Friday it will replace the foam materials on its shuttle fuel tanks to avoid similar debris breaking off as happened during Endeavour's launch, following the discovery of cracked layers in the insulation foam of all three shuttle fuel tanks.

Wayne Hale, NASA's space shuttle program manager, said that an X-ray inspection of brackets on the shuttles' external fuel tanks detected the cracks, which could probably lead to similar debris-shedding incidents as that during shuttle Endeavour's liftoff on Aug. 8.

NASA officials decided that the insulation foam and the underlying layer of cork will be removed and then new foam will be sprayed on before the next shuttle flight.

NASA's three shuttles in service are scheduled to fly in the coming months. Hale said the tank repair work would not delay shuttle Discovery's flight, currently slated for Oct. 23.

However, if more time is required, NASA will not flinch from delaying the flight a few days and readjusting plans for the December mission and later ones as needed, Hale added.

Shuttle Endeavour lands safely at Kennedy Space Center

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Space shuttle Endeavour landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on Tuesday after completing a shortened, 13-day construction mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The much-publicized hole in the protective tiles covering the shuttle's underbelly did not impact the vehicle's reentry and no unusual conditions were reported during the period of maximum heating.

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The Space Shuttle Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center in this view from NASA TV, August 21, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

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The space shuttle Endeavour returns to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Aug. 21, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

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Space shuttle Endeavour astronauts pose on the tarmac after returning to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Aug. 21, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

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The space shuttle Endeavour crew takes part in a press conference after they returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Aug. 21, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

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In this photo obtained from NASA, the US space shuttle Endeavour is seen from the International Space Station as the shuttle does a rendezvous pitch maneuver on 10 August 2007, while it approaches the station to dock for seven days of joint operations with the station. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

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In this photo obtained from NASA, the US space shuttle Endeavour is seen from the International Space Station as the shuttle does a rendezvous pitch maneuver on 10 August 2007, while it approaches the station to dock for seven days of joint operations with the station. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

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The Space Shuttle Endeavour lands at the Kennedy Space Center in this view from NASA TV, August 21, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Photo Gallery>>>

The space shuttle Endeavour returns to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Aug. 21, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)