" welcome home , discovery , after a great mission to convert the international space station to full efficiency , " replied an astronaut , paul zamka , radioing from the mission control center in houston , texas . nasa tested an experimental slate under the columbia ' s left wings during its approach for landing . the floor was almost eight centimetres thick , and had a depression in it , intended to disturb the remaining uneven airflow over the shuttle ' s engine , by subject it to high amounts of heat . engineers installed the installation in 1974 to measure the excess heat that was collected on both tiles . a civilian helicopter monitoring the tiles with an infrared camera . the results will be exploited to help determine better designs for future space .
Houston is George Zamka's hometown.