Component

Heat Shield

The ablative or reusable shield that protects a spacecraft from the searing heat of atmospheric entry, where air violently compressed ahead of the vehicle's bow shock can reach thousands of degrees (the heating is dominated by shock compression, not friction). Ablative shields char and carry heat away as they erode.

Part of Entry, Descent & Landing (EDL)

Highlights

›Survives thousands of degrees at atmospheric entry

Knowledge connections

Part ofEntry, Descent & Landing (EDL)
Associated withAerocapture

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.