Country of Origin: United States of America
Dimensions:
Overall: 6 in. tall x 6 in. wide x 3 1/2 in. deep (15.2 x 15.2 x 8.9cm)
Materials:
ceramic bonded silica fiber with glass coating
This Space Shuttle thermal insulation tile was removed after being damaged on the first flight of Columbia in 1981. Black HRSI (High-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation) tiles shielded the vehicle from the heat of re-entry into the atmosphere. About 23,000 HRSI tiles were used primarily on the upper forward fuselage and the underside of the Shuttle. NASA transferred a number of such tiles to the Museum after the STS-1 mission.
NASA transferred this tile to the Museum in 1981.
Transferred from NASA Johnson Space Center
