{"product_id":"space-shuttle-endeavour-flown-thermal-blanket","title":"Space Shuttle Endeavour - Flown Thermal Blanket","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/endeavor-01-space-shuttle-front-01_1024x1024.png?v=1648473802\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Front of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Space Shuttle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eOV-105) \u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas the final of the orbiters to be built, replacing the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eChallenger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eshuttle. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ealso flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis specimen is a piece of insulation blanket that was part of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour’s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Thermal Control System. \u003c\/span\u003eThe TCS helped the ship withstand the extreme increase in temperatures during atmospheric reentry and the TCS blanket was applied to the inside of the shuttle to protect internal components and systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoftgoods such as the blanket were a simple and efficient way to provide lightweight insulation to delicate items.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular blanket was removed after STS-99 which flew on 02\/11\/2000, which was this shuttle’s last solo mission.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs pictured below, each hand-cut specimen is housed in an acrylic jar and ships in a classic, glass-topped riker display case. The specimens measure roughly 1x1cm though variations may occur. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eA small information card is also included, which serves as the certificate of authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/ENDEAVOUR-DETAIL-003_1024x1024.jpg?v=1648485176\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecial Handling Notice:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt's very\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eimportant to note that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ethis was a multi-layer insulation blanket so we've elected to provide \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003emultiple layers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with each specimen. All specimens will have a layer of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ealuminized Kapton foil and a layer of fibrous bulk \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ematerial. It's also possible that there may be a fragment of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDacron net separator, but we've tried to remove that as it is quite brittle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eIn any case, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eif you choose to open the specimen jar, take great care. The Kapton is very light and slightly brittle with age and use. It may fly away or even break into smaller pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMore about Space Shuttle Program and Endeavour (OV-105)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter the close of the Apollo program, NASA turned its focus from lunar landings to research and observation. The vessel for this new focus would be the Space Shuttle, a multi-use vehicle designed to carry astronauts and scientific equipment to and from Earth's orbit. Due to their reusable design, the orbiters were amazing tools for furthering our scientific understanding of the stars. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions during its three decades in operation, beginning with \u003ci\u003eColumbia's\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003einaugural mission in 1981 and concluding with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAtlantis' \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ein 2011. Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the ESA. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs noted above, the Space Shuttle \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas the final of the orbiters to be built, replacing the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eChallenger \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eshuttle. As a cost-saving measure, much of the shuttle was built from leftover parts from the other orbiters. Named for Captain James Cook’s HMS \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, the shuttle’s career included the first repair mission for the Hubble Space Telescope and the addition of the Unity Module to the ISS, the first American addition to the space station. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ealso flew Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOver its active years, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eorbited Earth 4,671 times, traveling approximately 120 million miles. The shuttle weighed about 156 thousand pounds, boasting a wingspan of about 80 feet and a length of about 120 feet. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEndeavour \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ecan now be seen at the California Science Center, where it is open for display to the public.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLamoreux, James C., James D. Siekierski, and JP Nick Carter. \"Space Shuttle thermal protection system inspection by 3D imaging laser radar.\" Laser Radar Technology and Applications IX. Vol. 5412. SPIE, 2004.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003ePITTS, W., and D. KOURTIDES. \"Ceramic insulation\/multifoil composite for thermal protection of reentry spacecraft.\" 24th Thermophysics Conference. 1989.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eLinton, Roger C., Ann F. Whitaker, and Miria M. Finckenor. \"Space environment durability of beta cloth in LDEF thermal blankets.\" LDEF Materials Results for Spacecraft Applications (1993).\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eHarris, Richard, Michael Stewart, and William Koenig. \"Thermal Protection Systems Technology Transfer from Apollo and Space Shuttle to the Orion Program.\" 2018 AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition. 2018.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJenkins, Dennis R. Space shuttle: the history of the National Space Transportation System: the first 100 missions. DR Jenkins, 2001.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eJenkins, Dennis R. Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon: 1972-2013. Specialty Press, 2016.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0709\/1715\/files\/endeavour-space-shuttle-back_1024x1024.png?v=1648475017\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbove: Back of the Specimen Card\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mini Museum","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48943531950299,"sku":"80-112-0220-201-40","price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9052\/9755\/files\/add-on-shutte-endeavour-01-1000.jpg?v=1783288464","url":"https:\/\/mebrandwear.com\/products\/space-shuttle-endeavour-flown-thermal-blanket","provider":"[Me] Brand Original apparel [In Mind Of You]","version":"1.0","type":"link"}