Germany To Test Actively-Cooled Spacecraft

FleaPlus writes "The German Aerospace Center is planning to launch a novel reusable spacecraft in 2011, incorporating flat, damage-resistant tiles. Nitrogen will be pumped through the porous tiles, creating a protective gas layer that actively cools and shields the hottest parts of the spacecraft from the searing heat of reentry. The €12.5M unmanned 'SHEFEX II' project is a major technological step toward the team's eventual goal of a reusable space glider, which will be cheaper and easier to build than NASA's space shuttle."

Comments

Re:why the obession with glider spacecraft?

[strack]

yeah, and how bout that time that some of the large, intricate and controllable reentry system of the columbia got knocked off, and THE ENTIRE FUCKING CREW OF 7 DIED ON REENTRY.