Everything Else . The fore shield was carbon phenolic and the aft shield was phenolic nylon, both over an aluminum body, said Jim Doyle of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They were gradually attacked by heat from friction with Jupiter's atmosphere and were shed for data transmission.
Phenolics are resins based on phenol, or carbolic acid, and formaldehyde.
The first, Bakelite, often used in pot handles, was invented in 1909 by Leo Hendrik Baekeland. The reactions that produce phenolic resins can be controlled for qualities like flexibility or heat resistance. New questions are answered on the site every Tuesday and Thursday.