With the end of the Space Shuttle program, it’s time to consider one of the principal breakthroughs that made the construction of a reusable spacecraft possible. The development of advanced ceramic tiles. To withstand the heat of re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, a protective “shield” is required that can endure temperatures of up to 1,260 °C (2,300 °F). As one might imagine, these are not the type of ceramic tiles you might do your bathroom with. The protection method for re-entry up to that time was one of “ablation”, meaning a thick protective layer was used that gradually ablated or wore out during the decent. This is fine, but the fact that it’s “worn out” means it can’t be reused, hence the need for hi-tech reusable ceramic tiles. So the next time you’re on the toilet (which as you might know is also made from ceramic), consider its big brother, the Space Shuttle ceramic tile.