KSC-04-S-00186

Video source record: https://images.nasa.gov/details/ksc_060204_spaceblanket

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Summary

For the Space Shuttle orbiter, blankets do more than keep away the cold. They also offer protection from intense heat. Made of a woven ceramic fabric, special blankets are used in several areas on the orbiter. For example, the blankets help insulate the vehicle's Reinforced Carbon-Carbon nose cap. In preparation for Discovery's Return to Flight mission, STS-114, workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center recently manufactured and installed the nose cap blankets. It was the first time the two-month process was completed entirely at KSC. Blanket pieces must be cut, quilted together, and trimmed to exact measurements. Then they are heat-cleaned and waterproofed in large ovens resembling pizza ovens. Finally, they are attached to a support structure and installed in the nose cap. When the Shuttle returns to flight, the blankets will help protect it from the extreme temperatures it will face during its mission.

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Details

• Source collection: NASA
• License: Public Domain (US Government)
• Category: Mathematics

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Academic references

1. Primary source record: https://images.nasa.gov/details/ksc_060204_spaceblanket
2. Topic lookup: Google Scholar search for “KSC-04-S-00186”