Criticism of the Space Shuttle program case of "Challenger" to risk the lives of seven astronauts and nearly one-fourth of NASA's launch assets to place in orbit a communications satellite." There are some NASA spin-off technologies related to the Space Shuttle program which have been successfully developed into commercial products, such as using heat-resistant materials developed to protect the Shuttle on reentry, in suits for municipal and aircraft rescue firefighters. Criticism of the Space Shuttle program Criticism of the Space Shuttle program stemmed from claims that NASA's Shuttle program failed to achieve its promised cost and utility goals, as well as design, cost, management, and safety
Space Shuttle thermal protection system free by hand, and caused no damage to the TPS on "Discovery". , with the impending Space Shuttle retirement, NASA is donating TPS tiles to schools, universities, and museums for the cost of shipping; each. About 7000 tiles were available on a first-come, first-served basis, but limited to one each per institution. Space Shuttle thermal protection system The Space Shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) is the barrier that protected the Space Shuttle Orbiter during the searing heat of atmospheric reentry. A secondary goal was to protect from the heat and cold of space while in orbit. The TPS covered essentially