It did. Space shuttles are covered with various layers of ceramic heat resistant plating. Columbia however had a few of its tiles damaged by a falling piece of insulation during the launch. Normally a few tiles are not so much a problem. Because they were in such a critical zone on the wing (known as the "leading edge") , which endures the hottest of temperatures on re-entry, it caused uneven heat distribution leading to the breaking up of the craft in february 2003.
Space Shuttle Columbia
usten were coming home
A space shuttle reenters the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of around 17,500 miles per hour. The high speed generates intense heat, which is why the shuttle needs heat shields to protect it during reentry. The spacecraft gradually slows down as it descends through the atmosphere.
The shuttle spacecraft does nort burn up at all when it does reenters the earths atmosphere, even of the heat. The reason is that there are all heat preventing tiles on the spacecraft from burning, and keeping the astronauts safe.
The shuttle maneuvers itself and burns it's OMS engines. This causes the shuttle to slow down to a point where the earths gravity can pull it back to earth. As the shuttle enters the high earth atmosphere it is slowed down as the atmosphere hits the craft heating it up. The shuttle then performs a series of 'S' turns slowing it down even further, until it reaches its final approach speed for landing.
Space Shuttle Columbia
usten were coming home
A space shuttle reenters the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of around 17,500 miles per hour. The high speed generates intense heat, which is why the shuttle needs heat shields to protect it during reentry. The spacecraft gradually slows down as it descends through the atmosphere.
No it can't.
The ozone layer.
The shuttle spacecraft does nort burn up at all when it does reenters the earths atmosphere, even of the heat. The reason is that there are all heat preventing tiles on the spacecraft from burning, and keeping the astronauts safe.
230 miles out into space
3,000+ F
The shuttle maneuvers itself and burns it's OMS engines. This causes the shuttle to slow down to a point where the earths gravity can pull it back to earth. As the shuttle enters the high earth atmosphere it is slowed down as the atmosphere hits the craft heating it up. The shuttle then performs a series of 'S' turns slowing it down even further, until it reaches its final approach speed for landing.
When the shuttle goes from the vacuum of space and enters the earths atmosphere, it heats up because of simple friction. The friction is from the shuttle going so fast and hitting the atmosphere. Same reason you sometimes see meteor showers.
Columbia was the first shuttle to enter orbit. This was the same shuttle that was destroyed during re-entry in January 2003, with the loss of seven astronauts.
Although it reaches incredible speeds, a Space Shuttle is not going fast when it enters the atmosphere. The gravitational pull of Earth, or just gravity, are pulling down on the space shuttle with immense force.