Flight measurements of tile gap heating on the Space Shuttle

Data are presented from Space Shuttle flight measurements of the temperature distribution within the gaps of the reusable surface insulation tiles. This is the first of a series of flight measurements in which the gap width and tile surface edge radius will be systematically varied. The data show several interesting features including the time and effect of boundary-layer transition. The local heating rates into the gap surfaces are calculated from the measured temperature distribution down the gap at two locations.