They normally feel neutral; neither hot nor cold. That's because in order to feel temperature, you're sensing the heat transfer. The Shuttle tiles were designed not to transfer any heat.
Of course, in the hours after the Shuttle LANDED, they felt plenty hot.
They block heat from entering the shuttle.
There are tiles on the entire space shuttle. Every square inch is covered in tiles. The nose, bottom and leading edges of the space shuttle have black tiles while the rest of the space shuttle has white tiles. The nose leading edges and the bottom of the shuttle are the portions of the shuttle that get the most friction/heat from the atmosphere during re-entry.
More than 20,000 tiles fit on a space shuttle.
The tiles on the space shuttle form a heat shield. The shuttle enters the Earth's atmosphere at high speed, which creates very high temperatures that would burn up the vehicle if it was not protected.
By it's Thermal Heat Protection Tiles.
The black tiles on the space shuttle act as a heat-resistant thermal protection system. They help dissipate the intense heat generated during re-entry by absorbing and radiating heat away from the spacecraft, protecting it from burning up.
The Space Shuttles are covered in heat-resistant tiles. The tiles conduct heat sideways across the shuttle's belly to be dispersed into the atmosphere at the edges of the vehicle. The Space Shuttles Columbia disintegrated in reentry because heat tiles came off during launch.
A space shuttle is protected against the extreme heat of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere by using heat-resistant materials, such as protective tiles made of silica and ceramics. These tiles are designed to withstand temperatures up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, the shuttle's shape allows for the dissipation of heat and minimizes direct contact with the superheated plasma.
There are over 24,000 heat-resistant tiles on a space shuttle, designed to protect the vehicle during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. These tiles are made from materials like silica fibers and ceramics to withstand the extreme temperatures experienced during re-entry.
They are thermal heat protection tiles. They help the Space Shuttle withstand 3,000+ F during reentry.
The space shuttle is protected from burning up when returning to Earth by its heat-resistant tiles and thermal protection system. These tiles are designed to withstand the extreme heat generated during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
Space shuttles are equipped with heat-proof tiles to protect them from the extreme temperatures encountered during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. As the shuttle descends, friction with the atmosphere generates intense heat, potentially exceeding 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,700 degrees Fahrenheit). The tiles, made from materials like silica and reinforced carbon-carbon, dissipate this heat and prevent damage to the shuttle's structure and internal components, ensuring safe landings.