Ablative Heat (Reentry) Shield

A single-use shield or covering designed to accept the heat of reentry and burn off. (Read the full article)

"Here's a VERY early reference to the idea that a space craft will encounter great heat as it moves through the atmosphere from The Brick Moon, published by Edward Everette Hale in 1870:
"I was to spend the winter in one final effort to get twenty-five thousand dollars more if I could, with which we might paint the MOON, or put on some ground felspathic granite dust, in a sort of paste, which in its hot flight through the air might fuse into a white enamel.""
(Bill Christensen 5/13/2005 3:59:27 PM )
"A flaw, you heat up on reentry, by compressing the air in front of you, thereby heating the falling object. "Airfriction" is a myth."
(Amber Thompson 8/8/2007 1:44:36 PM )
"As far as I know, the choice of a big, blunt-ended space capsule came when it was found that this kind of shape creates what amounts to an air cushion in front of the object as it falls. The capsule experiences less air friction along its surface and has less heat transfered to the capsule as a result."
(Bill Christensen 7/26/2009 8:42:46 AM )

More info on Ablative Heat (Reentry) Shield

Leave a comment:

Tediously, spammers have returned. So, send me your comments to bill at the site name (be sure to mention the page) and I'll post them. Thanks!

 

 

 

Current News Articles

Heart Patches Grown In The Lab Repair Hearts
I'm hoping that this procedure becomes a normal part of medical practice!

Humanoid Robots Spotted In Homes Performing Household Chores
'... nothing was perfected until M. Pantalon announced the completion of his automatic valet.'

Musk Proposes Sites For Martian Cities
'...its streets were of remarkable width, with few or no buildings so high as mosques, churches, State-offices, or palaces in Tellurian cities.'

Bambot Open Source Cheap Delivery Robot
'Not since the time he rewired the delivery robot...'

Robot Collective Acts Like A Smart Material
'...it was all composed of tiny, identical cubes, carefully laid to form a tilelike surface.'

Vipera Electric Skis From Frigid Dynamics
'JOAN strapped on her power-skis...'

Pixel Watch 'Loss of Pulse Detection' And Philip K. Dick
'He carried on his person a triggering mechanism sensitive to his heartbeat.'

Nuclear Plant Restarted To Power AI To Feed Us Dreams
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'

SpaceX's Starman Tesla Roadster In Space
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'

Pivotal Blackfly Electric Aircraft Lifts And Hovers
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'

CORLEO Robotic Horse Concept Looks Ready To Ride
Imagine digging your heels in to a steam horse!

Who First Thought Of A Tin Foil Hat?
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.