1. Thermal Protection for Space Craft The problem of space craft high heating The solution The crash of the Columbia space ship national Alex&TybyNational College Iasi

2. The problem of space craft high heating From the building of the first spacecraft, the issue was to protect it from high temperatures, which occur after re-entry into the atmosphere. National College IasiAlex&Tyby

3. The solution Nature has given like usually the best solution, the sand. It can withstand the high temperatures from the desert during the day, and the very low ones during the night. National College IasiAlex&Tyby

4. The solution By combining sand with different substances and processing it at very high temperatures, the NASA’s scientists obtained a new material that was used for the creation of Thermal Protection System (TPS). Alex&TybyNational College Iasi

5. The solution Alex&TybyNational College Iasi The pieces of material are then joined together like a giant puzzle to create the ship's Thermal Protection System (TPS).

6. Alex&TybyNational College Iasi Temperature (C°)Height (Km) -60400 0300 480250 1000200 1400150 980100 70050 10010 450 This table represents the temperature of the space ship during the landing process depending on the height. This is the temperature that should be inside the ship if there wasn’t any Thermal Protection System.

7. The crash of the Columbia space ship The first time when we saw what can happen if the Thermal Protection System doesn’t work, was on February 1st 2003 when the space shuttle Columbia desintegrated over Texas during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. All seven crew members died. The accident happened shortly before the end of the 28th shuttle mission, STS-107. National College IasiAlex&Tyby

8. The loss of Columbia was the result of the damage sustained during the launch when a part of the insulation, about the size of a small briefcases, has separated from the main tank under the shuttle's external aerodynamic forces. The crash of the Columbia space ship The last takeoff of the Columbia space ship National College IasiAlex&Tyby

9. The crash of the Columbia space ship Debris struck the leading edge of the left wing, damaging the Thermal Protection System (TPS), which protects it from the heat generated by friction with the atmosphere on re-entry. We can notice how a piece of foam from space ship’s external tank falls off National College IasiAlex&Tyby

10. The crash of the Columbia space ship During re-entry into earth’s atmosphere after mission STS-107 the damaged area allowed the hot gases to penetrate and to destroy the internal wing structure, leading quickly to the dismantling of the vehicle during flight. The space ship Columbia desintegrates during re-entry into earth’s atmosphere National College IasiAlex&Tyby

11. The crash of the Columbia space ship A massive search operation conducted in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas led to the recovery of some crew remains and many parts of the vehicle. National College IasiAlex&Tyby

12. Bibliografy www.nasa.gov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_t hermal_protection_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_t hermal_protection_system http://www.absoluteastronomy.com Alex&TybyNational College Iasi

13. Thank you for your attention! Prodan Alexandru Topala Tiberiu Alex&TybyNational College Iasi