Mission manager John Shannon said a piece of ice had struck the shuttle soon after Thursday's lift-off at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
He said this had left what appeared to be a 19sq cm gouge near the hatch of one of the shuttle's landing gears.
Mr Shannon said small white marks were also visible on other thermal tiles surrounding the gouged area.
He said NASA was trying to determine the extent of the damage.
The gouge was detected after space station crew members took 296 pictures of the shuttle's underside.
The pictures are being analysed by NASA experts in Florida.
Mr Shannon said astronauts would use a camera attached to a robotic arm to closely inspect the area of concern and a laser to determine the depth of the gouge.
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He said this had left what appeared to be a 19sq cm gouge near the hatch of one of the shuttle's landing gears.
Mr Shannon said small white marks were also visible on other thermal tiles surrounding the gouged area.
He said NASA was trying to determine the extent of the damage.
The gouge was detected after space station crew members took 296 pictures of the shuttle's underside.
The pictures are being analysed by NASA experts in Florida.
Mr Shannon said astronauts would use a camera attached to a robotic arm to closely inspect the area of concern and a laser to determine the depth of the gouge.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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