Cavity Wall Insulation and Heat Insulation on the Space Shuttle

Heat insulation serves two purposes on the Space Shuttle. First, it keeps heat inside the Space Shuttle so that astronauts don’t freeze in the unfriendly cold of space.

Secondly, insulation is the only way the Shuttle can survive the heat of atmospheric re-entry. When lives are at stake, everyone wants to make sure the insulation is first-rate.

Cavity wall insulation is a popular method of insulating buildings here on Earth. By leaving some space in between two separate walls and filling the gap with a porous material, homeowners can save significantly on their heating bills.

Lightweight insulation solutions are a must for the Space Shuttle, as any extra weight means more fuel and consequently, more money is needed to get the spacecraft into orbit. For this reason, cavity wall insulation seems like an obvious way to insulate the Space Shuttle.

A potential drawback of cavity wall insulation or Einblasdämmung may be found in its durability. If the outer wall collapses or is breached in any way, the results could be potentially fatal to all on board. Nonetheless, a strong and durable cavity wall can be a strong insulator against a myriad of weather conditions and hostile environments.

NASA has experimented with several different types of heat shields throughout its many years of existence. The 3000 degrees Fahrenheit of heat created by friction between the Shuttle and the atmosphere during re-entry was no small problem to overcome.

Currently, the Shuttle uses several different types of materials, depending on the amount of heat that the specific section of the Shuttle must endure. The entire system is referred to as the Space Shuttle thermal protection system or TPS for short.

The segments which deal with the most heat, the nose cap and the front of the wings, is made of reinforced carbon-carbon. It is used in moderation, as it is the heaviest type of material used for heat insulation (Wärmedämmung) on the craft.

The bottom of the craft is covered with high-temperature reusable surface insulation tiles. While the insulation is mostly made up of small and durable tiles, some foams and also flexible insulation blankets are used in some places to save on weight.

An important money saver on early missions came when Scientists discovered how to manufacture the insulated tiles so that they could be reused.

But even a minor problem with the heat insulation on the Space Shuttle can be disastrous. The destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003 was blamed on a small hole in the insulation, a place for damaging heat to get in and tear apart the craft. Scientists and engineers spend many hours working to keep the Shuttles safe and the insulation intact.

As technologies and materials improve, perhaps we will find more efficient and cost-effective methods of heat insulation for the Space Shuttle. It will be necessary as the human race begins to travel farther and farther from our home planet of Earth into the cold regions beyond.