Space Shuttle Thermal Protection Tile

A high-temperature reusable surface insulation (HRSI) tile of the type fitted to the underside of the Space Shuttle orbiter. Each of the orbiter's roughly 24,000 tiles was individually shaped and bonded; this example is an engineering qualification tile from the Columbia-era program. The tile's silica-fiber structure is so thermally stable that it can be held by its edges seconds after leaving a kiln.