is this true?
2007-06-21 00:39:46 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Aluminum (or any metal) would not be much of a heat shield since they are the best conductors of heat. The point is to insulate. They use ceramics, which are both very hard and can insulate well. There are probably other layers of heat protection, but metals might be used to dissipate heat in one of the layers, but these would have to be organized in such a was as to lead it away from key parts of the craft.
2007-06-21 00:51:14 · answer #1 · answered by wheelintheditch 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you're confusing the reference to the Lunar Module made by Tom Hanks in Apollo 13 - in some places, the skin of the LM was "only a couple of sheets of aluminum foil" - not precisely, but it was VERY thin.
The shuttle uses tiles of varying sizes & thermal blankets on the outside of the orbiter, but these do protect an aluminum frame & skin.
2007-06-21 10:53:35 · answer #2 · answered by quantumclaustrophobe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, of course it's not true.
The heat shield of the shuttle consists of ceramic foam tiles over most of the body and reinforced carbon-carbon composites on the leading edge of the wings.
2007-06-21 08:41:44 · answer #3 · answered by Jason T 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, then, you heard wrong. Get off your duff and research just exactly what ceramic materials go into the making of the tiles before dropping in with some BS and demonstrating ignorance on the subject.
2007-06-21 09:05:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who gave you this classified information?
2007-06-24 17:54:56 · answer #5 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you gotta be kidding me!!! how in the world do u think thats true, no one would survive.
2007-06-21 09:37:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No would U want to ride it???
2007-06-21 11:01:00 · answer #7 · answered by JOHNNIE B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋