When SpaceX first showed off the thermal tiles on its Starship spacecraft that should keep it safe when re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere towards the loving embrace of the chopsticks on the launch ...

A NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter re-enters the Earth's atmosphere at about 75 miles above sea level and speeds close to 17,500 mph. When slowing down to its landing speed of about 215 mph, the orbiter's ...

When SpaceX first showed off the thermal tiles on its Starship spacecraft that should keep it safe when re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere towards the loving embrace of the chopsticks on the launch ...

Now the failure of the tiles is a leading theory for the catastrophic end of Columbia. NASA struggled for years in trying to ensure that the tiles were firmly attached to the shuttle, Paul Fischbeck, ...

We often tend to look at spacecraft and imagine that if anything is to go wrong with a mission, it will be so during launch. But the reality is that re-entry is far more dangerous, as it exposes the ...

Feb. 4 -- A day after Columbia's liftoff, NASA confirmed that a piece of loose foam insulation had damaged the shuttle, but engineers concluded it wouldn't fatally damage its critical thermal tiles, ...

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. – A new space shuttle tile inspection method using NASA-built, wireless scanners is replacing manual inspection. The new process begins with the upcoming shuttle mission, STS-118 ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A close-up laser inspection by Endeavour's astronauts yesterday revealed that a 3½-inch-long gouge penetrates all the way through the thermal shielding on the shuttle's belly.

IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more. Strips of ceramic insulation fabric ...