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This is a picture of the ceramic tiles used on the Shuttle Orbiters as a heat shield.

download.jpg

Due to losses on every launch and landing it made replacement and normal servicing a nightmare.

What if instead of using hundreds of separate tiles on the underside (black tile areas only) they instead manufactured a one piece ceramic heat shield for the nose, one for the length of the under body and two more for the underside of both left and right wings?

Would this be possible?

Would this cost effective in man hours and costs?

Would it be any safer than separate tiles?

Regards filers
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