page_title: Space Shuttle thermal protection system
section_title: Purpose
hierarchical_section_title: Space Shuttle thermal protection system / Purpose
caption_attribution_description: English: View of the Space Shuttle Discovery’s underside starboard wing and Thermal Protection System tiles photographed during the survey sequence performed by the Expedition 11 crew on the international space station during the STS-114 R-Bar Pitch Maneuver during rendezvous and docking operations.
context_page_description: The Space Shuttle thermal protection system is the barrier that protected the Space Shuttle Orbiter during the searing 1,650 °C heat of atmospheric reentry. A secondary goal was to protect from the heat and cold of space while in orbit.
context_section_description: The orbiter's aluminum structure could not withstand temperatures over 175 °C (347 °F) without structural failure.
  Aerodynamic heating during reentry would push the temperature well above this level in areas, so an effective insulator was needed.
caption: Discovery's under wing surfaces are protected by thousands of High-Temperature Reusable Insulation tiles.
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