Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Science

X-rays and AI reveal how spacecraft heat shields burn in real time

Heat shields are one of the most important parts of any spacecraft that intends to enter an atmosphere. And the material they are made of is critical. Improving them has been a challenge, though, as researchers typically only get "before" and "after" pictures of a heat shield's job of helping a spac...

X-rays and AI reveal how spacecraft heat shields burn in real time
Image: Phys.org
Heat shields are one of the most important parts of any spacecraft that intends to enter an atmosphere. And the material they are made of is critical. Improving them has been a challenge, though, as researchers typically only get "before" and "after" pictures of a heat shield's job of helping a spacecraft land safely back on Earth.

Originally published at Phys.org

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