X-33 Stays Cool In Early Development Stage
News story originally written on February 5, 1999

Engineers have finished testing the heat shields that will be used on the X-33, a prototype of a new reusable launch vehicle. The heat shields passed a series of tests that included time in a wind tunnel at high speeds and high temperatures and flights aboard an F-15.

The thermal shields consist of metalic sheets over an insulating material. They will protect the X-33 from extreme temperatures during atmospheric re-entry. The thermal shields can protect against temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

The X-33 is a half-size working model of the new aerospace plane, called the VentureStar. The VentureStar is a single-stage-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle that will replace the space shuttle. Officials hope that the new RLV will reduce the cost of space travel--from $10,000 per pound to $1,000 per pound.

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