It goes all the way down...

[strredwolf]

ZDNet got detailed closeups of the Endeavour's damage tiles.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=662

I may be outside NASA's items, but that's a solid case for PATCH THAT THING NOW!!! and DON'T LAND YET!

Comments

[kazriko.livejournal.com]

The funny thing about the tile problems... I'm sure these tiles have been getting damaged ever since the shuttle's been going up given how often we've been seeing tile damage since then (Practically every launch.) We've so far only had one catastrophic failure due to the damages.

They probably have to break a tile entirely off before it would fail like the last one did.

What I don't understand though is why they don't put some sort of ablative coating on the tiles to protect them from that first few minutes of the launch, but that would burn off quickly on reentry. Maybe even the same foam they put on the tank. Maybe put some thin layer on with some film that allows it to be quickly removed by a spacewalk.

[kesarra.livejournal.com]

The foam on the tank was what punched a hole in the Columbia. Anything that comes off the shuttle is a hazard to itself when traveling as fast as it does.

[kazriko.livejournal.com]

Uh huh. And?

What I'm saying is that if you put the same kind or another kind of foam above (or below, depending on your perspective) the tiles to take the damage of the foam from the tanks... Some foam that will easily burn off or be removable later.

[kesarra.livejournal.com]

It's not a good idea to shed such foam in space. Shedding it while leaving or entering the atmosphere can change the aerodynamics of the craft. You really don't want to change the aerodynamics in the middle of a reentry.

[kazriko.livejournal.com]

But it's OK to shed it on a fuel tank that is burning up on reentry?

[bibliophage.livejournal.com]

I actually have a shuttle tile in a bag somewhere around here. They're _soft_. Feels almost like chalk.

What I've read is that NASA thinks it's safe for the _crew_ for the Endeavour to land, but that it might end up causing some structural damage to the shuttle. Considering how dangerous a spacewalk is considered, they're trying to determine if the potential shuttle damage is worth the walk.

Basically, there's an aluminum pad underneath the tile, that actually distributes the heat. The tiles are somewhat ablative, to shed heat through throwing off particles. (I could be blowing smoke out my ass on that one, however).

(Note how the tile is gouged, not chipped)