heat shield

All that resistance, however, acted as a powerful brake, and three minutes after peak heating, the speed of the ship was reduced to 1,609 kph, slow enough for the heat shield to be jettisoned and a parachute to deploy.

The spacecraft survived scorching temperatures thanks to its heat shield.

In this case, gas in front of the vehicle will be rapidly compressed, causing a huge jump in pressure and temperature between the shock wave and the heat shield.

Perseverance is protected by a heat shield and shell, as well as a suite of 28 sensors that monitor hot gases and winds.

The lunar Starship will be equipped with lighter thrusters to ease it on and off the moon’s surface, and it won’t have the flaps and heat shield needed for reentering Earth’s atmosphere.

Up next: heat-shield separation and radar acquisition of the ground.