A traditional Japanese pottery and toy manufacturer Tamiya have joined forces
to develop heat-dissipating tiles for HOPE, Japan’s uncrewed space shuttle. The
tiles are made of a natural stone and polystyrene foam, fired in a kiln for
several days. Their relative density is about half that of the tiles used in the
American space shuttle, and their melting point of 1700 °C is 200 °C
higher. HOPE is due to launch in 2003.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles