How to Effectively Manage Heat in Today’s High-Power Engines
The Thermal Protection System used on the Space Shuttle Orbiter is perhaps the most extreme example of the importance of heat shields. During re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, the Orbiter’s external surface temperatures reached up to 3000°F/1648°C, making the performance of the system critical to the mission’s success. The heat shields also had to withstand pyrotechnic shock loads as the Orbiter separated from the rocket’s external tank.