The heat shield is one of the most critical elements of the NASA Orion spacecraft. When returning home from the Moon, Orion will reach speeds of approximately 25,000 mph. The friction between Earth’s atmosphere and the surface of Orion will generate temperatures near 5,000 °F. That is about half as hot as the surface of the Sun! The heat shield uses an ablative material called AVCOAT. The AVCOAT blocks “burn off” as they heat up, removing thermal energy away from the capsule while keeping the astronauts safe from the intense heat. NASA engineers conduct nondestructive tests to look for gaps between the AVCOAT blocks and run thermal tests before the heat shield is certified for flight.

Learning Objective: Participants will understand that heat shields are necessary to protect astronauts and their flight equipment from thermal energy sources.

Outcome: Participants will use common items to make heat shields that are able to keep the payload (a candy bar) from melting under the heat of a hair dryer.

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