J. B. Clauson on sat 1 feb 03
Please be sure to turn the debris over to NASA or, as the news is
recommending if you don't know how to reach NASA, turn it over to local
authorities. It's probably best if they can know exactly where it landed.
They are trying to reconstruct as much of the shuttle as is possible in
order to find out just what went wrong. We don't want to lose any more
astronauts!
Say a prayer for their families.
Jan C.
David Hendley on sat 1 feb 03
I never imagined that firebrick would fall from the sky, but that's
just what happened in Maydelle today.
Of course, they were the (in)famous "tiles" from the Space Shuttle
Columbia. They are 6 inch square. The material looks exactly like,
and probably really is, insulating firebricks.
There is also metal debris in my yard. The largest piece is about
2 feet square. It has rivet holes, some of which have rivets and some
are now just holes. You can see the 6-inch grid pattern on the metal
where the tiles were attached.
God bless the astronauts.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
Rick Hamelin on sun 2 feb 03
I believe the tiles were made from SIALON; silica, alumina, oxygen, nitrogen,
but this information is + 10 years old and things do change. The same material
was explored for engine blocks and pistons, hip replacement joints and other
things.
> I never imagined that firebrick would fall from the sky, but that's
> just what happened in Maydelle today.
> Of course, they were the (in)famous "tiles" from the Space Shuttle
> Columbia. They are 6 inch square. The material looks exactly like,
> and probably really is, insulating firebricks.
> There is also metal debris in my yard. The largest piece is about
> 2 feet square. It has rivet holes, some of which have rivets and some
> are now just holes. You can see the 6-inch grid pattern on the metal
> where the tiles were attached.
> God bless the astronauts.
> David Hendley
> Maydelle, Texas
> david@farmpots.com
> http://www.farmpots.com
>
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Jim Tabor on sun 2 feb 03
I've had a shuttle tile for over 10 years as part of a collection of
engineered ceramics and it isn't like any insulation brick I've seen.
It's unique shape has numbers that corresponds to the location it fits
on the shuttle. It is very soft, white, extremely porous and ultra
light. I don't have a clue how it was made, but, it doesn't appear to be
from clay. The tank armor tile I have is an octogon shape and looks like
a version of a silicon carbide kiln shelf. These and other items were
provided to me by the American Ceramic Society to inspire student's
interest in ceramic engineering.
Jim Tabor
Rick Hamelin wrote:
>I believe the tiles were made from SIALON; silica, alumina, oxygen, nitrogen,
>but this information is + 10 years old and things do change. The same material
>was explored for engine blocks and pistons, hip replacement joints and other
>things.
>
>
>>I never imagined that firebrick would fall from the sky, but that's
>>just what happened in Maydelle today.
>>Of course, they were the (in)famous "tiles" from the Space Shuttle
>>Columbia. They are 6 inch square. The material looks exactly like,
>>and probably really is, insulating firebricks.
>>There is also metal debris in my yard. The largest piece is about
>>2 feet square. It has rivet holes, some of which have rivets and some
>>are now just holes. You can see the 6-inch grid pattern on the metal
>>where the tiles were attached.
>>God bless the astronauts.
>>David Hendley
>>Maydelle, Texas
>>david@farmpots.com
>>http://www.farmpots.com
>>
>>______________________________________________________________________________
>>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>>
>>
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>
G.M. Schauer on sun 2 feb 03
Jim Tabor wrote:
> I've had a shuttle tile for over 10 years as part of a collection of
engineered ceramics and it isn't like any insulation brick I've seen.
> It's unique shape has numbers that corresponds to the location it fits on
the shuttle. It is very soft, white, extremely porous and ultra
> light. I don't have a clue how it was made, but, it doesn't appear to be
from clay.
I read in the Minneapolis Star Tribune today that the tiles are made from
'clay foam' to keep them light, then they are coated with some kind of glass
so that the edges of each are flush with its neighbors. I assume that by
'clay foam' they mean clay with entrapped air, maybe made by some burnout
method?
Very sad about the loss of the astronauts, as to me the space program
represents hope for our species...
Galen Schauer
in 'finallysnowinglikehell, ' Minnesota.
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