Jim

I quote from an Internet search.

1." In ablative technology, the surface of the heat shield melts and
vaporizes, and in the process, it carries away heat".

2. "The orbiter tiles do not ablate during the heat of reentry".

Someone started using the wrong word (ablative) and spelled it wrong
and it has carried from post to post.

Just setting the technical record straight.

Big John


On Sat, 12 Jul 2003 16:40:40 +0000 (UTC), Jim Pennino
wrote:

In rec.aviation.owning Justin Case wrote:
I don't know! $300K for a plastic airplane is a bit much for me.
After all, you see what happened to the wing of the Discovery when
they shot the foam at it? I've got to doubt that there will be many
plastic aeroplanes around that are 50 years old. But that's what they
similarly said when aluminum replaced tube and fabric.

The shuttle is metal, not fiberglass. The abative tiles are sintered silica.