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General Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: tlee on 12/17/2010 11:03 am

Title: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: tlee on 12/17/2010 11:03 am
I ordered a Shuttle tile for my school and I was wondering if anyone had any information on the tiles that they are using or can help me identify this particular one. It is TILE# V070-394024-036-009370. I haven't received it yet but it should be here any day. My students are very excited.

Thanks
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 12/17/2010 11:08 am
Cool! And welcome to the site's forum. We've had threads like this before and they usually find where they were originally located, which orbiter etc. So this shouldn't be a problem.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Jester on 12/17/2010 01:07 pm
serial starting with V070 normally indicates that is was a Rockwell item and could have been flown, normally when you buy a tile (or any shuttle related hardware) is should come with a decommissioning paper, indicating when it was taken off and which flight it was the last used on.

example digging here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=19691.15 (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=19691.15)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: jimwilkes on 01/06/2011 07:03 pm
Hello folks,
I'm in the same situation as tlee, the original poster, regarding tile identification.

Our school receive tile #VO70-395908-046 -008211 and our principal has asked if I might be able to trace it to a particular location on the shuttle. I have doubts as to whether this tile 'saw duty' due to its condition, but regardless, it has created a nice buzz around the school.

Thanks for any help that someone can offer.
Jim
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: closette on 02/18/2011 08:41 pm
Me too - my school received a tile with ID# V070-394026-129-008682.

Since the latest documentation says we're not supposed to take it out of its shrink- wrap (let alone heat it up!), I would at least like to tell my students which part of the shuttle this un-flown tile was made for.

(I suppose they can calculate its density from the weight and dimensions - not exactly inspiring for the next generation of space explorers!)

Any help (and especially an image of the location, as some previous posters have obtained) would be greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: robertross on 02/18/2011 09:23 pm
I'm wondering: with all these tiles being given away to schools, we need to set up a template for each orbiter, with likely location points for each. Do we, or does NASA, have a template like that available?

Not to sound unkind, but with LITERALLY thousands of tiles, there will just as many requests.

Perhaps NASA can help us help everyone.  :)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Launchpad911 on 02/20/2011 05:38 pm
I have never heard about shuttle tiles being given to schools. My wife teaches sixth grade science and would love to get a tile for her classroom. How does she apply to get one? Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rdale on 02/20/2011 05:45 pm
I have never heard about shuttle tiles being given to schools. My wife teaches sixth grade science and would love to get a tile for her classroom. How does she apply to get one? Thanks for the help.

http://www.google.com/search?&q=shuttle+tiles+being+given+to+schools
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Launchpad911 on 02/21/2011 04:35 am
I have never heard about shuttle tiles being given to schools. My wife teaches sixth grade science and would love to get a tile for her classroom. How does she apply to get one? Thanks for the help.


Thank you very much for the link. I have printed it out to give to my wife. We hope that there is a tile left for her school.

http://www.google.com/search?&q=shuttle+tiles+being+given+to+schools
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Jerirog on 02/21/2011 02:58 pm
Hallo all together,

I also never heard that a shuttle tile is given to a school. But that would be very cool.
Greatings
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: emarkay on 02/28/2011 08:52 pm
"December 3, 2010 — NASA is holding a "baked-goods" sale for schools, but instead of tasty desserts, the space agency is offering something much hotter: space shuttle heat shield tiles.

NASA began Wednesday offering 7,000 of the black and white lightweight tiles to U.S. schools and universities that "want to share technology and a piece of space history with their students."

The tiles are free for the asking but following the "transfer protocol" for government property, schools must cover the shipping and handling charge -- a grand total of $23.40. That's quite the sale considering that NASA estimates its original acquisition cost was $1,000 per tile.

According to the tiles' manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, the baked silica squares originally cost NASA about $10,000 per square foot installed. Typically, tiles measure about a quarter of that or six by six inches (15.2 by 15.2 cm).

More than 20,000 tiles are installed on each space shuttle and each tile is designed to survive 100 trips to space and back. Varying in thickness from one inch (2.54 cm) to five inches (12.7 cm) depending on the heating they will be subjected to, the tiles collectively protect the orbiter from temperatures as high as 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit during its reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

The silica tile material -- referred to as LI-900 or Lockheed Insulation-9 pounds per cubic foot -- insulates heat so well that tiles can be held bare handed on one side even while the opposite side is still red hot. Educators can demonstrate that ability in the classroom, substituting a blow torch for the reentry-generated heating.

NASA is fulfilling the requests for the tiles on a first-come, first-served basis. Qualifying educational institutions apply online through the General Services Administration (GSA) website:

http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm

A part of NASA's on-going efforts to "preserve the shuttle program's history and inspire the next generation of space explorers, scientists and engineers," the heat shield tile offer comes as the space agency is preparing to retire its orbiter fleet next year. Two more missions are scheduled, with a third pending Congressional funding."

From: http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120310a.html
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Launchpad911 on 04/09/2011 10:14 pm
Thanks to the help of the folks here at NSF, my wife recieved her Space Shuttle tile for her classroom this week.
The number imprinted on the exterior side is-

VO70-391036-079-009993

On the back is a code printed on a piece of paper that is sandwiched in between the foam backing and the shrink wrap.

The code is MC364-0006 TYPE 1

Does anyone know if this tile was ever used on an orbiter and if so, which one? Frankly, the tile looks in pristine condition and appears to never have been used, but it would be more interesting to her class if she knew if the tile came from a certain orbiter. Thanks again for all your help in obtaining a piece of space history for her classroom.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Launchpad911 on 04/09/2011 10:58 pm
After a little research thanks to a link provided by NASA with the tile -

http://artifacts.nasa.gov/tile_serial_numbers.htm

I have confirmed that all of the Tiles For Teachers are unflown artifacts. Based on the serial number guide, my wife's tile was designed to be used on an area of the forward fuselage, either on the upper part behind the nose cap or lower side behind the front landing gear. The exact location cannot be determined from that link, so if anyone knows a links that specifies the exact tile locations, I would love to have the URL. Thanks again.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 04/10/2011 12:19 am
... The exact location cannot be determined from that link, so if anyone knows a links that specifies the exact tile locations, I would love to have the URL. Thanks again.

I don't have a URL I can give you, but I did find your tile in a couple of L2 presentations that had partial tile map graphics.  I've marked 391036-079 in yellow.  The lower resolution picture shows the general location (ignore the colored circles, they just highlight something the original documents are discussing)

Click the images for the full size versions.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Launchpad911 on 04/10/2011 06:19 pm
Analogman,

Thank you very much for finding the location of the tile. I knew I could count on the membership of NSF to help me out. I have saved your files and my wife will be able to show them on the Smartboard she has in her classroom. Thanks again!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AirmanPika on 04/12/2011 05:38 pm
I do know of one NASA template that at least for now is still in house use only. When researching a flown tile I have from Atlantis, NASA provided me with a computer screenshot of the tile location. The program they were using was called the Gap Filler Display Program. Maybe at some point it will become public domain.

As mentioned, the Tiles for Teachers tiles were never flown, but they do have unique serial numbers which are the 4th set of numbers in the string. If these tiles had been slated for use, then they may be able to identify which orbiter they were meant for based on that last number. Thats how they were able to ID where my tile came from and which missions it had flown on. You might be able to submit a FOIA request to NASA to find this out and since these are for educational use, you shouldn't have to pay anything.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Viscouse on 04/19/2011 02:50 pm
Another Tile ID request!

My info is this:
FRCS-9-01-0033
VO70-39 1005-195
Closeout
TP STS-9-B087
OML P1 9/82

This is what I've dug up so far:
FRCS = Forward Reaction Control System
STS-9 = Columbia Orbiter
OML = Outer Mold Line (but what is P1?)
VO70-39 1005-195 is location 391005-195
TP=?
B087=?

Any help in locating this tile is appreciated!  Or answers to the missing info.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AirmanPika on 04/29/2011 01:30 pm
Is this a standard black or white tile or a Blue or Green tile? The description sounds like one of the filler tiles as I don't recall seeing that kind of detail on any regular shuttle tile. I have seen those kind of markings for the fit/filler tiles though.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Viscouse on 04/29/2011 03:29 pm
Thanks for replying.

The one piece of info I missed!  Yes it's a blue/green tile.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AirmanPika on 04/29/2011 04:17 pm
Yep, then you have a fit check/filler tile. These were used either to test out shapes before the real tile was made, or used to fill a gap until the real tile could be installed for whatever reason. At least I believe that was their use based on my own research. Mind you there may be some people here with hands on knowledge that can provide better info than I regarding the use of these tiles.

Oh, and see this thread as it probably can help in regard to your tile's use...

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=24080.0
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Viscouse on 04/29/2011 04:24 pm
Thanks Airman!  That's good to know.

Does anyone know about some of the missing info?
TP=?
B087=?

And where I might be able to figure out where the tile is located?  I can't find the Gap Filler Program anywhere.  (Maybe not looking under the right rocks?)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: OakdaleTileGuy on 05/10/2011 11:20 pm
OK, so far you guys have rocked.  Ready for one more? 
from the teacher program...
VO70 - 292106 - 005   008221

I've worked out from links on this thread that it is from the Rudder/Speed Brake, and obviously not flown.  Anything else I can find out would be awesome.  Thanks in advance. 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Antares on 05/11/2011 04:00 am
I've seen whole boxes of Shuttle tiles in both elementary school and high school science departments.  Is this exceptional?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: jwing on 05/18/2011 07:38 pm
Another tile from the "Tiles for Teachers" program. 

VO70-292100-063-008167

Since you guys have such a great track record thought I would throw another one out there for you.  I know that it is located somewhere on the vertical stabilizer, but after that the info becomes hard to find. 

Thanks
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: OakdaleTileGuy on 05/18/2011 07:45 pm
Another tile from the "Tiles for Teachers" program. 

VO70-292100-063-008167

Yours is from the same area as mine.  So, yes, Vertical Stabilizer, but more specifically the rudder/speedbrake. Since we are only 6 apart, I think we might be practically on top of each other.  Other than that, however, I think we might be SOL for further information.  I'll post here if I get a map some other way. 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: jsmjr on 06/19/2011 09:15 pm
V070-395924-107-008493, as shown.  My guess is aft heat shield / SSME dome, based on slightly rounded shape and beveled outer edge.

The attached NASA publication has a rudimentary chart that shows general positions (although it contains a figure that contradicts some of what the table shows). 

I think the tile in question is shown on the cropped RPM image attached.  Can anyone confirm?

Also, what are the round plugs (white with red middle) found on many of adjacent tiles in the RPM image?  The sample I have has a hole pre-cut for whatever it is.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 06/19/2011 11:18 pm
V070-395924-107-008493, as shown.  My guess is aft heat shield / SSME dome, based on slightly rounded shape and beveled outer edge.

The attached NASA publication has a rudimentary chart that shows general positions (although it contains a figure that contradicts some of what the table shows). 

I think the tile in question is shown on the cropped RPM image attached.  Can anyone confirm?

Found a partial tile map that shows your tile location, although I'm afraid its not an ideal viewing angle for direct comparison with the photo you attached.  Images are copied from an L2 document (ignore the other annotations, they are irrelevant).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: spaceman10 on 06/20/2011 12:22 am
Those space shuttle tiles are pretty awesome. I got to hold one at the Oshkosh airshow in WI like 10 years ago. I was amazed how light and frail they feel.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: jsmjr on 06/20/2011 02:01 am
V070-395924-107-008493, as shown.  My guess is aft heat shield / SSME dome, based on slightly rounded shape and beveled outer edge.

The attached NASA publication has a rudimentary chart that shows general positions (although it contains a figure that contradicts some of what the table shows). 

I think the tile in question is shown on the cropped RPM image attached.  Can anyone confirm?

Found a partial tile map that shows your tile location, although I'm afraid its not an ideal viewing angle for direct comparison with the photo you attached.  Images are copied from an L2 document (ignore the other annotations, they are irrelevant).

Awesome, thanks, A-man.  Looks like I pegged it pretty close.  So what are those plugs?  Looks like a lot of tiles in that general vicinity are fabricated with holes to accommodate them.  Seem to relate to the fact that it's the first row of tiles on the SSME dome.  (Although as you can see in the RPM photo, there are also in some of the body flap tiles too.)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 06/20/2011 08:56 am
V070-395924-107-008493, as shown.  My guess is aft heat shield / SSME dome, based on slightly rounded shape and beveled outer edge.

The attached NASA publication has a rudimentary chart that shows general positions (although it contains a figure that contradicts some of what the table shows). 

I think the tile in question is shown on the cropped RPM image attached.  Can anyone confirm?

Found a partial tile map that shows your tile location, although I'm afraid its not an ideal viewing angle for direct comparison with the photo you attached.  Images are copied from an L2 document (ignore the other annotations, they are irrelevant).

Awesome, thanks, A-man.  Looks like I pegged it pretty close.  So what are those plugs?  Looks like a lot of tiles in that general vicinity are fabricated with holes to accommodate them.  Seem to relate to the fact that it's the first row of tiles on the SSME dome.  (Although as you can see in the RPM photo, there are also in some of the body flap tiles too.)

These tiles are mounted on removeable carrier panels - the holes allow access to fasteners that hold the panels in place.  Holes are typically sealed with RTV bonded FRSI plugs after panels are fixed in place.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: mahannd on 10/04/2011 07:31 pm
Another request.
I finally got mine, question is where is it from. no documentation came with
V070-193005-252
Jf9865
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 10/04/2011 08:53 pm
Another request.
I finally got mine, question is where is it from. no documentation came with
V070-193005-252
Jf9865

Your tile location is on the underside of the Left-Hand inboard elevon.  I've attached a couple of graphics showing your tile highlighted in yellow (click images to enlarge).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: mahannd on 10/05/2011 12:45 am
Another request.
I finally got mine, question is where is it from. no documentation came with
V070-193005-252
Jf9865

Your tile location is on the underside of the Left-Hand inboard elevon.  I've attached a couple of graphics showing your tile highlighted in yellow (click images to enlarge).

great thanks! So is the deal with these that they were slated as replacements but never used or just spares sitting around? Any way to identify what shuttle they were for?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Harmonograms on 11/10/2011 07:58 pm
Similar location to above: V070-193001-097 JB4781.

I would greatly appreciate a schematic showing precisely where this thermal tile is located on the lower elevon. I have volunteered to design and build an appropriate display for my daughter's school to exhibit this important artifact and I would like to include a location diagram with the graphics.

Thanks, Chris 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: JayP on 11/10/2011 09:58 pm
Similar location to above: V070-193001-097 JB4781.

I would greatly appreciate a schematic showing precisely where this thermal tile is located on the lower elevon. I have volunteered to design and build an appropriate display for my daughter's school to exhibit this important artifact and I would like to include a location diagram with the graphics.

Thanks, Chris 

Here is an updated version of Anglomans image from above. You can see it there.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: ScottF on 01/04/2012 07:46 pm
My wife's school also received a tile and would appreciate help in locating where it would have been mounted.  Much like Chris' (Harmonograms) desire, our hope is to create a display showing students/parents/visitors exactly where the tile would have been used.  The tile number is V070-395907-122-008828.  Judging from other requests I believe it is from the SSME area.  Thanks for your help!

Scott
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Namechange User on 01/04/2012 09:05 pm
Judging from other requests I believe it is from the SSME area.  Scott

According to SDS it is from the "Base Heat Shield, Lower Dome Half, Outboard"
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: ScottF on 01/06/2012 07:03 pm
Thanks for the help, OV-106.

What is SDS?  And where can I find a map like the ones above showing tile locations?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Jester on 01/06/2012 07:50 pm
Thanks for the help, OV-106.

What is SDS?  And where can I find a map like the ones above showing tile locations?

It's an internal NASA database, and those maps are on L2
SDS= Shuttle Drawing System

rough estimate:

take this image (or find a better one with a lower left SSME on it)
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-28/hires/iss028e015588.jpg (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-28/hires/iss028e015588.jpg)

i cropped it, your tile is on the second ring (number 2 on my crop) around that area.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Invicta on 03/01/2012 01:13 pm
Hello there,

I recently owned a shuttle tile from an old lady who joined the D2 mission as a transpot logistic responsible. This tile was presented to her as a gift in 1999. Some Weeks ago I purchased this tile but without any documentation from its origin.

Due to the fact that the tile is damaged at an area were the ID is printed, its very difficult to me to identify this tile. The tile itself shows red RTV500 silicon applied on the back. Therefore I guess that thisone is also flown.

The tile schows following Rockwell ID:
VO70-191012 ‐ ?37 ‐ 008695 see attache image.
Does anyone got a clueto which orbiter this tile might belong? Or could someone tell me the area this tile was attached to the shuttles frame?

I know that some here have a kind of shuttle tile map. I would be happy to get any information as possible from you!

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/02/2012 11:21 am
For the purposes of locating the tile on the obiter, only the middle part of the ID is needed; 191012‐?37.

Looking at the photo of the tile, it looks like the partially damaged digit has a row of 3 dots along the top and probably a column of dots in the upper left quadrant (bit difficult to see).  If so, this would restrict the number to 0, 5, 6, 8 or 9.

Searching through the limted information I have, I found tile 191012-037, which is located on the underside of the orbiter port wing.  This is part of a block of 123 tiles with the 191012 prefix.  Within this block the tiles are in three sub-groups which have sequential suffix numbers as follows: -009 to -050, -093 to -134, and -177 to -215.

I've attached high resolution tile maps showing the block/groups and tile 191012-037 (which could be your tile).

I do not know if there are 191012 tiles on the other wing in a matching location containing other possible matches to higher numbered suffixes.

Hope this is of some help.  Click on images to enlarge to full size.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Invicta on 03/02/2012 11:55 am
...wow... this helps me a lot! Thanks for the effort to localize the area.
But could you explain why the last numers 008695 of the hole ID arent important?
If I got you right the prefix number is just a hint for the tiles location?
Now it would be interesting to get to know from which orbiter this tile might be.

I'll try to identify the damaged number using a q-tip and some isopropanol. If I got more information I'll gonna post it.

Thanks anyway for your support

Best regards

Chris
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/02/2012 07:14 pm
...
But could you explain why the last numers 008695 of the hole ID arent important?

The last number of the full ID is the serial number of that individual  tile, and is the key to finding out the history of the tile.  NASA  databases will record whether it was a flown item or not, and if so  which orbiter it was attached to, dates it was attached and removed,  flight history (and probably lots of other stuff related to its  history).  Only NASA & Contractors have access to that information.

A  couple of folks on here have been able to get some documentation by  making a request to NASA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) -  if you are a US citizen and really keen on getting such information you  might like to consider this route (but you might need to figure out that  damaged digit first).

I've attached a NASA guide to general tile locations based on the first six-digit number of the full ID.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: kielbasa on 03/08/2012 05:05 pm
Ok, well it seems that you are really food at this, so I would like to throw another one at you, if I might.

I just recieved mine yesterday, and of course, one of my studetns has already dropped it on the corner of something and not only put a nice cut in the top cornr, but also broke the plastic.....Uggh...

Anyway, here is the code
VO70-394504-336-010174

there is also another code on the back, on a little piece of paper stuck in between thetile and the plastic:
M0364-0006 TYPE 1

If you could send me a diagram of the locatation, and if the code on the back has any meaning, it would be greatly appreciated. I have only been able to say that it comes from bottom of the shuttle, 394XXX mid fuselage sides and lower.

Anything else would be great. The kids love it- even the one that dropped it....


dave
National Academy Foundation (prep)
7th grade math.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Mark_Bray on 03/08/2012 05:24 pm
Here are the maps of where your tile would have been located on the Orbiter.

The MC364-0006 Type 1 just meant that it was an LI-900 tile.



Ok, well it seems that you are really food at this, so I would like to throw another one at you, if I might.

I just recieved mine yesterday, and of course, one of my studetns has already dropped it on the corner of something and not only put a nice cut in the top cornr, but also broke the plastic.....Uggh...

Anyway, here is the code
VO70-394504-336-010174

there is also another code on the back, on a little piece of paper stuck in between thetile and the plastic:
M0364-0006 TYPE 1

If you could send me a diagram of the locatation, and if the code on the back has any meaning, it would be greatly appreciated. I have only been able to say that it comes from bottom of the shuttle, 394XXX mid fuselage sides and lower.

Anything else would be great. The kids love it- even the one that dropped it....


dave
National Academy Foundation (prep)
7th grade math.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: kielbasa on 03/08/2012 08:28 pm
That is really cool. Thanks for the super fast response.

Not to be a bother, but would it be possible to get a higher resolution drawing of the shuttle tile area, so I can make some sort of a display?

After one student dropped it, I think I am going to make an acrylic box to house it in, so it will not be damaged any further.

Thanks, and where are you getting the drawings for the shuttle anyway? is that available to the general public, or is it a secret NASA thing?

Thanks so much.
dave
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Mark_Bray on 03/08/2012 10:38 pm
Here are some high resolution JPGs.
This program is not available to the public.

That is really cool. Thanks for the super fast response.

Not to be a bother, but would it be possible to get a higher resolution drawing of the shuttle tile area, so I can make some sort of a display?

After one student dropped it, I think I am going to make an acrylic box to house it in, so it will not be damaged any further.

Thanks, and where are you getting the drawings for the shuttle anyway? is that available to the general public, or is it a secret NASA thing?

Thanks so much.
dave
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 03/08/2012 10:45 pm
Welcome to the site's forum Mark. Appreciate you helping people find where their tile locations are on the TPS maps.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: grendak on 08/04/2012 02:34 am
It seems this thread it a bit old, but I'm hoping by some miracle those of you with access to the NASA software might still read it.  I'm trying to locate VO70-391016-438-010365.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!  Thanks!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 08/04/2012 11:02 am
It seems this thread it a bit old, but I'm hoping by some miracle those of you with access to the NASA software might still read it.  I'm trying to locate VO70-391016-438-010365.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!!  Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

I found your tile location - its on the port side of the orbiter, below and slightly forward of the crew access hatch.  I have marked it in red on the attached tile map (click on the image to enlarge).

By the way, this is the best thread in which to post such requests.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: grendak on 08/04/2012 12:46 pm
I found your tile location - its on the port side of the orbiter, below and slightly forward of the crew access hatch.  I have marked it in red on the attached tile map (click on the image to enlarge).

Wow, thank you so much for the quick response and the attached image!!  I tried to find the location last weekend while visiting Discovery at the National Air & Space Museum.  However, between some of the thermal paint being worn off and not being able to get too close to the orbiter it was quite the challenge!  I cannot thank you enough for your help! 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/24/2012 03:05 pm
Ok guys, can we help this nice lady? :) I don't mind if you have to use L2 docs to find.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: northanger on 09/24/2012 06:22 pm
Just for future reference:
https://twitter.com/spacespartan/status/250239190724378625

looks like number is: VO70-195002-356-009264

195XXX = Wings upper

Don't know where to find tile documents in L2. I'll be out for a bit, if someone can PM location I can look for this later tonight.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Flightstar on 09/24/2012 07:28 pm
Mark or Analog are the two people for that location find, so I'm sure that will be forthcoming today.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: northanger on 09/25/2012 05:53 am
Thanks Flightstar. I'm still looking! Found Gary Giles/Maria Vallas paper mentioning graphical displays using "tile geometry" (tile part numbers &c) to plot tile data. Fascinating. A shuttle tile is an amazing bit of history to have in your hand.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/26/2012 07:48 pm
No joy with this one?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: northanger on 09/26/2012 10:34 pm
:( nope, not by me. Are Mark or Analog checking?

Went thru L2 Shopping List, there's a discussion but nothing definite [like "there be tile graphics here to check every tile"]. Checked every page on Shuttle Performance: Lessons Learned (http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=23708.0) -- fascinating, but no tile diagrams. L2 search for SDS & Shuttle Drawing System, but nothing comes up. Several folks (including you, if I remember) mention tile diagrams in the FRRs (Flight Readiness Review). I found some, but not 195XXXs.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 09/26/2012 11:18 pm
I know we have lots of maps via the DAT presentations on L2. But I personally don't have time to do a number check (as that would be visual). Hopefully Analog has time, as he can find anything! :)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: northanger on 09/27/2012 06:49 am
I shall start checking the DAT presentations with the extreme hope that Analog will post this tile identification ASAP!

:)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 09/27/2012 11:07 am
I shall start checking the DAT presentations with the extreme hope that Analog will post this tile identification ASAP!

 :)
I've only found a near 'hit' for this tile - bit busy at present, but hope to post in due course.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 09/29/2012 11:30 pm
Tile 195002-356

As has already been noted by northanger, 195xxx tiles are located on the upper wing areas.  The general location diagram has been posted in other threads on this forum, but since it is not in this one I have posted it again in for easy reference. Link to original file is www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/pdf/tile_placement_chart.pdf (http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/pdf/tile_placement_chart.pdf).

I have not been able to find tile 195002-356 itself, but have found a couple of near misses on a fragment of an Atlantis tile map from a STS-132 DAT TPS (Damage Assessment Team, Thermal Protection System) presentation available on L2.  Tiles 195002-350 and 195002-351 are located on the upper side of the port (left-hand) chine area - this is the part of the wing/fuselage structure that is forward of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) leading edges.

I've attached a copy of the relevant slide from the presentation with tiles 350 & 351 circled in yellow, and a close-up view of the map's 195002-xxx block (41 tiles).  The main tile map shows the view when looking at the orbiter from the left-hand side, with the crew access hatch to the left and the beginning of the wing leading edge at the lower-right.  (This slide is showing tiles that were missed during flight-day 2 TPS inspection using the orbiter boom.)

It's possible that the tile we're trying to locate is on the other side of the orbiter in a similar position.  There are minor differences in tile IDs between orbiters, so another possibility is that it may belong to one of the other orbiters on the same side (I could only find a map for Atlantis).  Either way, I think there's a good chance it is from that general area, left- or right-side upper chine.

(click images to enlarge)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: northanger on 09/30/2012 04:56 am
Great job AnalogMan :)

I see that block of 195002 tiles. So close!

btw, Because this is an upper wing tile, I checked CAIB Working Scenario document. It includes a tile diagram but 195002 is not on there.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: jacqmans on 10/06/2012 12:59 pm
Ok it is not the tile (195002-356)  but I found 195002-342 in one of my photos I took of Atlantis on September 17, I think it was replaced not to long ago compared with all the other tiles...
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: runsemo on 10/10/2012 10:24 pm
Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school.  I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it.  If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it!  The number on the tile is
V070-195002
-356-009264

Thank you for your time!
@spacespartan
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/10/2012 11:23 pm
Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school.  I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it.  If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it!  The number on the tile is
V070-195002
-356-009264

Thank you for your time!
@spacespartan


Hey, you're the lady we're helping above! :) Read the posts above this one, they've been searching the location for you! ;D
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: runsemo on 10/11/2012 12:03 am
Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school.  I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it.  If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it!  The number on the tile is
V070-195002
-356-009264

Thank you for your time!
@spacespartan


Hey, you're the lady we're helping above! :) Read the posts above this one, they've been searching the location for you! ;D

Ahhh thank you!  A gentleman on twitter said he was going to ask, but I didn't have enough time at school to look through all of these.  Thanks so very very much!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: runsemo on 10/11/2012 12:15 am
Thank you so so much!  This is fantastic!  It will look great under our ISS photo from when we made radio contact with Joe Acaba last May.  This made my day!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/11/2012 01:11 am
Hello! I'm a 6th grade science teacher in Flagstaff, AZ and we just received a shuttle tile for our school.  I have a shadow box for the tile and we would like to frame a print out of where the tile goes on the shuttle right next to it.  If anyone could help us we would really appreciate it!  The number on the tile is
V070-195002
-356-009264

Thank you for your time!
@spacespartan


Hey, you're the lady we're helping above! :) Read the posts above this one, they've been searching the location for you! ;D

Ahhh thank you!  A gentleman on twitter said he was going to ask, but I didn't have enough time at school to look through all of these.  Thanks so very very much!!

Yep, that was me! :) We're happy we could help!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: dripollone on 10/19/2012 04:47 pm
I just received my Tile and it was bit damaged on the sides and bottom.
 

I'm trying to locate VT70-191037-027, I see that it is on the wing but I would like to see if I can get a picture of exactly where. In the general location anyway.
The picture uploaded in the earlier message is close to it but doesn't include the tile.

Can anyone help?

Thanks
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 10/19/2012 10:51 pm
I'm trying to locate VT70-191037-027, I see that it is on the wing but I would like to see if I can get a picture of exactly where. In the general location anyway.
...

Welcome to the forum.

I think I've found your tile but I'm trying to find a better tile-map graphic to show you where it is.  Will try and post something tomorrow.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 10/23/2012 02:47 pm
I'm trying to locate VT70-191037-027, I see that it is on the wing but I would like to see if I can get a picture of exactly where. In the general location anyway.

Tile 191037-027

This is an more interesting tile than average.  Its located on the door that normally covers the orbiter's left-hand main landing gear - specifically towards the front of the door and towards its outer edge where the door hinge is located.  The tile is of a type know as LI-900 which covers the bulk of the underside of the orbiters, and is a High-temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (HRSI) black tile.

I've attached a couple of tile maps showing the location this tile, and also a photograph taken by astronauts on the ISS of STS-132 (Atlantis) as she approached the space station carrying out the R-bar Pitch Maneuver (RPM) or 'back-flip' to photographically document any possible damage to the tiles.  Unfortunately I could not find a photograph from any of the orbiters which had a visible ID legend remaining.

Your tile is indicated by green highlighting - click on the images to enlarge to full size.

Useful information on the orbiter's thermal protection system (TPS) can be found here:
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/pdf/TPS-06rev.pdf (http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/pdf/TPS-06rev.pdf)

(Sorry for the delay in getting back to you!)

EDIT: added slide from STS-123 Flight Readiness Review presentation (available in L2) which shows the various tile types fitted to the LH main landing gear door.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: dripollone on 10/23/2012 03:50 pm
Thank you so much this is awesome! ;D I am going to print out the information you gave to me and use it as a lesson in class. Also I might be presenting to elementary and middle school students, this information will be helpful.

Thanks Again
dripollone
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Invicta on 11/14/2012 01:23 pm
Recently I owned a small piece of AFRSI blanket taken from OV-099, removed after flight 41-G. The rockwell ID is

VO70-396-373-025

The number has been taken from the KSC problem report related to the item.

It has been taken from one OMU at the suttles aft. I know that some do have acces to identify the area the item was placed. Can anyone provide a tile map chart to see where the item originally has been?

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Shuttle Native on 11/17/2012 10:41 am
Hi All

I am new to this forum. I stumbled across it last night with my two boys as yesterday my dad presented me with what appears to be an authentic heat tile from one of the orbiters. We wanted to see if we could figure out what orbiter and possibly what missions this tile may have flown. Through your forum, I have only been able to figure out that this is a tile from one of the wings. The numbers on the tile are difficult to read...rubbed off quite a bit, but I can see that it is

VO70 191025
273-008227
It has another set of letters and numbers below the above numbers, with what looks like a 2 and ends in 000M
Underneath that is the word Instrumentation.

So we'd love to know what orbiter this tile is from, where on the orbiter it's location was, and what missions it flew.

My dad was in the Air Force for 27 years and his last assignment was at Cape Canaveral Air Station...he was involved with the shuttle program through 1985 when he retired.

He says the gray corner is a "repair" that was made to the tile...and the white chips and dings are actual damage to the tile. Unfortunately, he doesn't remember how it ended up in office at the Cape so long ago...he's got lots of samples of the soft fabrics that are on the undersides of the tiles as well.

I love everything space, especially the shuttle program. I saw every launch up close and personal from Columbia's maiden voyage from the Cape to the Challenger disaster from right outside the walls of my highschool. I even got to see a night launch from the Titan building...that was really cool.

Hope you all can help us out!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: closette on 02/15/2013 04:13 am
Hey, I guess I was too early being one of the first to post a request for a tile ID, back in reply #4 to this thread - but I never received an answer!

The tile our school received in 2010/11 had number VO70-394026 (black and white, picture shown in reply #4).

In this second round of NASA giveaways, this time including some food packs, we also received a new white tile # VO70-391010 which has two ~ 2cm diameter holes neatly drilled through it and is an "interesting" shape. I can post a picture if desired.

A few of you on this thread have been extremely helpful to the posters who came after me - could I prevail on your expertise one more time to show me where these (now) two tiles are located. Like other teachers on this thread, I am planning a display for our school. Thank you!

P.S. This time around, we were compelled to certify that the tile would NEVER be removed from its shrink wrap! (Not so for the first one we received).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 02/15/2013 11:51 am
Hey, I guess I was too early being one of the first to post a request for a tile ID, back in reply #4 to this thread - but I never received an answer!

The tile our school received in 2010/11 had number VO70-394026 (black and white, picture shown in reply #4).

In this second round of NASA giveaways, this time including some food packs, we also received a new white tile # VO70-391010 which has two ~ 2cm diameter holes neatly drilled through it and is an "interesting" shape. I can post a picture if desired.

A few of you on this thread have been extremely helpful to the posters who came after me - could I prevail on your expertise one more time to show me where these (now) two tiles are located. Like other teachers on this thread, I am planning a display for our school. Thank you!

P.S. This time around, we were compelled to certify that the tile would NEVER be removed from its shrink wrap! (Not so for the first one we received).

Good news, I think I found your first tile (V070-394026-129).

Your second tile might be more interesting, but I need the three digits that follow the main number to find an actual location (should be VO70-391010-xxx).  A photo would also be helpful to identify.

Don't have time to organise any graphics at the minute, but will try and post soon.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: closette on 02/15/2013 06:56 pm
Thank you AnalogMan, I appreciate your quick reply to this older thread. I should have checked back more often since my earlier post.

A cellphone pic of our second, newly arrived tile is attached - I snapped it as I left my school since I thought it might be handy to have all the numbers. I can take a better picture, with a ruler for dimensions, early next week.

The tile with the holes has full number VO70-391010 -045-008023. I did read that the holes were for access to fasteners and would be plugged as part of launch preparation activities.

Yes, any graphics showing the tile locations would be great for our display, thanks again.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: bpwi on 02/18/2013 02:44 am
Why are the tiles set at a 45 degree angle on the belly?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/11/2013 03:13 pm
Hey, I guess I was too early being one of the first to post a request for a tile ID, back in reply #4 to this thread - but I never received an answer!

The tile our school received in 2010/11 had number VO70-394026 (black and white, picture shown in reply #4).
[...]
Good news, I think I found your first tile (V070-394026-129).
[...]
Don't have time to organise any graphics at the minute, but will try and post soon.
Sorry for the long delay in getting back to this.

Tile 394026-129

I've attached two images showing the location of this tile.  Its on the underside of the orbiter just off the centerline and forward of the right main landing gear door.  First is to give the general location - its a composite image with the forward part having tile ID numbers which are close to being readable if you squint at the right magnification!  (note these ID numbers are of the form 394026-129001).  The second is very readable.

(click on graphics to enlarge)

Most modern printers will allow images to be printed as posters (image is divided up and printed on several separate sheets, then stick together by hand).  I've attached a pdf version of the full orbiter map since Adobe Reader also provides a poster printing function in case your printer doesn't.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/11/2013 03:23 pm
Thank you AnalogMan, I appreciate your quick reply to this older thread. I should have checked back more often since my earlier post.

A cellphone pic of our second, newly arrived tile is attached - I snapped it as I left my school since I thought it might be handy to have all the numbers. I can take a better picture, with a ruler for dimensions, early next week.

The tile with the holes has full number VO70-391010 -045-008023. I did read that the holes were for access to fasteners and would be plugged as part of launch preparation activities.

Yes, any graphics showing the tile locations would be great for our display, thanks again.

Tile 391010-045

Could not find your exact tile.  I was only able to find one block of 391010 tiles - these sixteen were on the crew access hatch door.  There are slight differences between the three surviving orbiters:
 
Atlantis & Endeavour -083 to -096, -126 and -127
Discovery -083 to -094, -123, -123, 125 and 126

My collection of tile maps is not comprehensive, so possibilities are:

• the tile is elsewhere on the orbiter;
• its on the hatch of an orbiter that I don't have a map for (Challenger or Columbia);
• its on the hatch but part of an earlier tile allocation/design that was modified or never used.

Four of the tiles are mounted on two removeable carrier panels (two tiles each) and have holes in them for access to the fastening bolts.  On Discovery three of these tiles are black (High-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation, HRSI), but on Atlantis are white (Low-Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation, LRSI).  The remainder of the 391010 tiles in this block are all white.

Looking at your tile it does appear very similar in shape to 391010-96/391010-123 and this tile does have two holes in the same place.  Also, from your photograph it looks as though the shortest side has the concave arc needed to match the inner ring of tiles that it butts up against.

On this basis I would say that there is a good chance that this is the location of your tile, and for some reason these tile IDs were modified during the lifetime of the orbiters.

I've marked this location in yellow on the maps.  Photos of Endeavour and Atlantis' crew hatch show the two carrier panels removed and in place (tile holes plugged with insulator) respectively.

The NASAfacts publication titled "Orbiter Thermal Protection System" is a good backgrounder to tiles and other insulation:
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/pdf/TPS-06rev.pdf (http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/nasafact/pdf/TPS-06rev.pdf)

(click on images/photos to enlarge)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: CCHSphysics on 03/12/2013 10:55 pm
Hello! I just received a shuttle tile as well, but my number does not match the usual format. The black tile is stenciled with relatively small (compared to others) white text:

MISC-794-462-014

I looked all over and haven't seen any references telling exactly what it is; the closest I've found is the XXX014 (body flap), but I would think those tiles match the format of the others posted here. Like the others, I'd love to make a nice display case for it with a photo of its intended location/use if possible. Thanks in advance to any who might be able to help!

 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Fequalsma on 03/13/2013 02:00 am
So that the streamlines do not run parallel to the gaps between the tiles, which would allow the hot gases to burn through the underlying airframe.
F=ma

Why are the tiles set at a 45 degree angle on the belly?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: elianne921 on 03/20/2013 02:52 pm
Hi everyone, I'm a volunteer at one of the museums with one of the remaining shuttles and a fellow volunteer brought in a tile for us to look at.

The serial number is VO70-199705-024 E29321

From what I can find, it's on the leading edge of the wing, and I'm guessing the upper side because of what I can see on our shuttle. If anyone can place the tile, I know my fellow volunteer will be very happy. Unfortunately I didn't get to take a photo, but it has an interesting notch cut in it.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: David AF on 03/29/2013 08:31 pm
Hi everyone, I'm a volunteer at one of the museums with one of the remaining shuttles and a fellow volunteer brought in a tile for us to look at.

The serial number is VO70-199705-024 E29321

From what I can find, it's on the leading edge of the wing, and I'm guessing the upper side because of what I can see on our shuttle. If anyone can place the tile, I know my fellow volunteer will be very happy. Unfortunately I didn't get to take a photo, but it has an interesting notch cut in it.

Thanks!


Bumping to remind some to help the above person.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/30/2013 09:33 pm
Hello! I just received a shuttle tile as well, but my number does not match the usual format. The black tile is stenciled with relatively small (compared to others) white text:

MISC-794-462-014

I looked all over and haven't seen any references telling exactly what it is; the closest I've found is the XXX014 (body flap), but I would think those tiles match the format of the others posted here. Like the others, I'd love to make a nice display case for it with a photo of its intended location/use if possible. Thanks in advance to any who might be able to help!

I've never seen a tile ID like this before - no idea what its purpose is, or where it might be from.  Sorry I can't be of more help.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/30/2013 09:40 pm
Hi everyone, I'm a volunteer at one of the museums with one of the remaining shuttles and a fellow volunteer brought in a tile for us to look at.

The serial number is VO70-199705-024 E29321

From what I can find, it's on the leading edge of the wing, and I'm guessing the upper side because of what I can see on our shuttle. If anyone can place the tile, I know my fellow volunteer will be very happy. Unfortunately I didn't get to take a photo, but it has an interesting notch cut in it.

Thanks!

Tile V070-199705-024

I've not been able to find this exact tile, but did find a group of seven tiles with IDs 199705-xxx.  Numbers were -037 -039 -041 -043 -045 -047 and -049.

As you already guessed, these tiles are located on the wing leading edge (left-hand in this instance) on the upper-side and are right next to the third RCC panel along from the fuselage of the orbiter.  The first four tiles listed are roughly 10:7 ratio rectangles, and the final three are very skinny rectangles (but may be quite thick).

I did find 199705-46 and 199705-48 on a tile map for the right-hand wing, and these were also next to the third RCC panel from the fuselage (but the map is a little confusing as the view partial and is from the underside of the wing!)

For these double rows of tiles along the RCC panels the numbering scheme seems to be as follows: 1997nn-xxx where nn is always an odd number, and each xxx number odd for the left-hand wing, and even for the right-hand wing.  Each xxx group of tiles is associated with an individual RCC panel and mounted on a removable carrier panel allowing access to the RCC mounting structures.  On the wing underside the scheme is a single row of tiles on carrier panel (next to the RCC panels) with numbers 1997mm-xxx where mm is an even number.

So if you have a good vantage point and a pair of binoculars, you might try looking in the area just behind the inboard RCC panels on the upper side of the wings (and since 199705-024 has an even number suffix, try the right-hand wing first!) - you may be lucky and find your tile if the numbering is not too faded.

Usual warnings that small differences in tile numbering schemes exist between orbiters, and numbers have changed over the lifetime of individual orbiters due to changes in designs, layouts, or tile types being  used.

I've attached a partial tile map of the left-hand wing of Discovery showing the 199705 block higlighted in red; a cross-section of the RCC panel and structures; and a photo of the right-hand wing of an orbiter showing the tiles on the upper wing edge.  On the photo you can see the four fastening holes (larger, white rimmed) in the outer tiles on each carrier panel (note these have more tiles than the inboard panels).

Click images to enlarge.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: elianne921 on 04/01/2013 09:21 pm
Thanks so much, I'm really looking forward to taking this in for my shift tomorrow and showing everyone, I know they will just as thankful as I am.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: warddw on 04/01/2013 10:07 pm
Any info on these would be appreciated - received by a school...

Thin White tile - V070-391143-204 JG0877  - SCRAP in red
Thick White tile 64642     10574
Thick Black tile VT70-191037-027   MN0101346
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: warddw on 04/08/2013 10:38 pm
bump
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: allanfshapiro on 04/15/2013 09:40 pm
I need help in verifying two tiles that supposedly flew on Enterprise. How do I do it?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 04/15/2013 09:50 pm
I need help in verifying two tiles that flew on Enterprise. How do I do it?

Just saw your e-mail Allan and I was going to send you to this thread, so you're in the right place! :)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: allanfshapiro on 04/17/2013 02:44 pm
Is there some organization or individual that I can contact at NASA to investigate those 2 shuttle tiles?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: wkann on 05/18/2013 01:13 am
Dang this is a cool thread, I wish NASA let individuals buy tiles. (not just schools/museums/institutions)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 10/08/2013 11:59 am
Was having lunch and Star Trek Enterprise was on. The episode involved removing a bomb from the hull plating.

Noticed that the close ups of the planting showed they all had serial numbers.....starting with VO70!

Lovely little hat tip to Shuttle there.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Shuttle Endeavour on 12/10/2013 03:54 pm
Hello
I am a new member here and I just bought some STS-55 flown Inconel. The piece is like aluminum, and is a rectangular shape that seems to have been a bit burnt. I was wondering if anyone knew where these pieces were located. And the part number is V070-199736-085. Serial No 000102. Reasons for removal is horse collar is torn and frayed, triangles are frayed, Inconel is bent, and FWD gap filler is destricing (That word was eligible) insulator.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Shuttle Endeavour on 12/16/2013 03:06 am
I just noticed the tag indicates it is located from the Left Wing. Does anyone know what region of the left wing this would be used in? It also indicates it is from a carrier panel assembly.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AirmanPika on 09/21/2014 02:42 pm
Gonna bump because this thread is still proving quite useful.

I got ahold of another flown shuttle tile. This one claimed to be from Columbia but no supporting paperwork and can't do a FOIA request to be sure until I can get my eyes on it to verify the serial number since its hard to make out in pics. That will be a few weeks since I'm deployed for a while longer.

From what I can make out from the various angles in the pics I have...

GGG3?0-001
-TPS-3 E14794
V070-391003-084
Z?LL8390-000M
         837-000M

DEN

In this case a previous post of the forward port side shows that it was attached to the Forward RCS Module. Of course that makes things interesting because if I recall RCS modules sometimes switched shuttles depending on turnaround (correct me if I'm wrong there). If true this thing could have been on multiple shuttles in the same way the OMS pods were. It's definitely seen heavy use. Might just start digging through actual high res photos. That's a commonly photographed area.

I attached a couple pics and the tile map with said tile in blue. Also...anyone know what the DEN means? I've seen it on lots of tiles and have always been curious.

Edit: OK so if it was really from Columbia it never left her. Columbia was fitted with FRC2 which flew with her on every mission and was never used on a different shuttle.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: midipuppies on 10/19/2014 02:15 am
Hello all, I have two tiles that I am hoping to get tile maps for. I hope I'm posting in the right spot.

These two tiles were supposedly installed on Challenger after its initial delivery to NASA from Rockwell. Apparently they failed some form of test or were found to be defective in some way. Like many others, I am wanting to display them and am seeking printable tile map files for each one. Any help would be very much appreciated.

LRSI Tile    V070 197002 066 008303
HRSI Tile (No printed numbers, only stamped on the rear all over the place)   V070 193008 then 9005 stamped below, then the following stamped underneath on an angle 200 2973X
(X indicates that I can't make out what number it is)

Thanks in advance!

Jay
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 10/24/2014 02:46 pm
Hello all, I have two tiles that I am hoping to get tile maps for. I hope I'm posting in the right spot.

These two tiles were supposedly installed on Challenger after its initial delivery to NASA from Rockwell. Apparently they failed some form of test or were found to be defective in some way. Like many others, I am wanting to display them and am seeking printable tile map files for each one. Any help would be very much appreciated.

LRSI Tile    V070 197002 066 008303
HRSI Tile (No printed numbers, only stamped on the rear all over the place)   V070 193008 then 9005 stamped below, then the following stamped underneath on an angle 200 2973X
(X indicates that I can't make out what number it is)

Thanks in advance!

Jay

Was not able to find tile 197002-066, but I did find two similar numbers (197002-177 and -101) on Endeavour which were located on the right-hand left-hand wing outer elevon on the top-side trailing edge (innermost corner).

I found a whole bunch of tiles starting 193008-xxx (a block of 26 tiles) on a Discovery tile map fragment.  These are on the left-hand wing inner elevon on the underside trailing edge and are probably around 5-6 inches in size in either dimension.  I've attached a pdf of the tile map with this block marked in red - I've also attached a general view as an image.  I don't know what the other numbers on this tile mean.

My collection of tile map fragments is limited, so maybe someone else has additional information on these tiles.

Note that tile numbering has variations between orbiters, and they have changed over time when new TPS arrangements have been introduced, but generally the six-digit prefix gives a good idea of location (see the general location map in one of the earlier posts)

Hope this helps a little.

Edit: corrected left/right error
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/02/2014 11:57 pm
I have searched and searched for the individual shuttle tile locator maps that AnalogMan has so kindly helped others locate their tiles.  Our department has 3 tiles that we would like to located exactly.  None are flown items.  Sure would appreciate any help and would be glad to pay a fee for the service of a PDF of them.  Wouldn't have to bother anyone if the maps were online......

VO70-195002        VO7O - 191001        VO7O - 395907
-203  009224         -120    009553        - 263   B62497

We would appreciate any help.  Thanks!!

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 11/03/2014 01:10 am
I have searched and searched for the individual shuttle tile locator maps that AnalogMan has so kindly helped others locate their tiles.  Our department has 3 tiles that we would like to located exactly.  None are flown items.  Sure would appreciate any help and would be glad to pay a fee for the service of a PDF of them.  Wouldn't have to bother anyone if the maps were online......

VO70-195002        VO7O - 191001        VO7O - 395907
-203  009224         -120    009553        - 263   B62497

We would appreciate any help.  Thanks!!
I only had time to look up one of them. This is for VO70 195002-203. I'll try to take a look for the other two tomorrow.
This comes from one of the TPS assesments from the L2 side of the site which Chris was good enough to let me show on the public side. Your tile is the one I colored green (in the red line of tiles).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 01:15 am
THANK YOU!! rayleighscatter  We knew it was somewhere along the upper leading edge but nothing more specific.  I really, really appreciate you!!  Thanks a ton!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 01:20 am
Question:  would a higher res version be available of these?  We are making a permanent display and would like to have an 11 x 14 good quality print of the map sections.
Thank you!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 11/03/2014 01:36 am
Question:  would a higher res version be available of these?  We are making a permanent display and would like to have an 11 x 14 good quality print of the map sections.
Thank you!!
There isn't a single large tile map, much to the consternation of many. If you dig through various reports you can find pieces of maps, such as the one I posted (I didn't trim the image I posted, that was all that was in that image). It was embedded as some sort of cad or vector image so it can infinitely size up larger or smaller if you have some sort of tech boffin who knows how to do it. As for using information from the L2 side of the site for public use, you would need to get in contact with the site's owner about that.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 01:53 am
Okay, thank you again.  I'm looking forward to the other 2 tile locations when you get a chance tomorrow and we are indebted to you for the help.  I will keep on digging - figured out the "L2" part of this and the cost thereof.  Will have to do it appears.  Again, thank you for your help.  Have a good rest of the everning!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 11/03/2014 11:11 am
I have searched and searched for the individual shuttle tile locator maps that AnalogMan has so kindly helped others locate their tiles.  Our department has 3 tiles that we would like to located exactly.  None are flown items.  Sure would appreciate any help and would be glad to pay a fee for the service of a PDF of them.  Wouldn't have to bother anyone if the maps were online......

VO70-195002        VO7O - 191001        VO7O - 395907
-203  009224         -120    009553        - 263   B62497

We would appreciate any help.  Thanks!!

I did a quick search and found references to all three of your tiles - that number of hits doesn't happen often!  Rayleighscatter found the same info I did on the one tile.  Will try and post graphics on the others soon.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 01:26 pm
Thank you very much!!  We really appreciate the help from you both!  I would really like some info on how to get to the detailed CAD location maps on the L2 side.  We will join that this week to pursue it if that's the best way.  I do realize we will need permission to include them in a permanent display in a new building on the college campus.
Again, thank you so very much for your help!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/03/2014 01:48 pm
For specific tile requests, I wouldn't want anyone to join L2 just for that. L2 is supposed to be a facility where people who enjoy this site can support its crazy server costs by donating via a structured subscription service and in return gain access to our L2 areas.

So hold fire on that.

To L2 members who are already in L2. This is part the goldmine of TPS stuff:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=tags;tagid=1499
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 01:54 pm
I see what you mean.  That list is tons of very interesting items that I would love to spend some time investigating.  I will see if we can add that in to the budget as a misc. item this January.
Thank you for your help! 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 11/03/2014 02:05 pm
Thank you very much!!  We really appreciate the help from you both!  I would really like some info on how to get to the detailed CAD location maps on the L2 side.  We will join that this week to pursue it if that's the best way.  I do realize we will need permission to include them in a permanent display in a new building on the college campus.
Again, thank you so very much for your help!!

I should warn you that there are no specific collections of tile maps in L2.  What there are are loads of NASA presentations generated during Shuttle missions starting from first planning to final conclusions.  For each mission there might be as many as 50 - 90 official documents, only some of which contain fragments or partial views of tile maps, and fewer that are in highly zoomable vector graphics format.  As Chris has noted, use of the "TPS" tag in L2 will pull up lots of threads with relevant documents (but will still miss those with useful information that are not primarily aimed at thermal protection issues).

There is no automated way to search these documents within the L2 forum.  You have to download them first and then apply any tile ID searching to files (or collections of files) locally.  Only the vector graphics type tile maps contain text that can be automatically searched.  Bit-mapped images need eyeballs, and this is usually impractical unless you already know the likely tile location and also where to find an appropriate tile map.

If you are only looking for a couple of tile locations then it is probably better to post your requests here in the first instance to see if someone can help you out.

Still trying to sort some graphics for your tiles.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 02:37 pm
I understand - thank you.  I will keep up looking and asking here and I am really looking forward to any info you could pass along on our tiles.  I still want to put in for the L2 side since it would be beyond interesting to me.   We have acquired some other items including one of the frangible SRB hold down nuts.  There seems to be a good bit of information available on them - maybe since only 8 of those were used per launch.
Again, thank you for your help.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 11/03/2014 08:56 pm
Tile V070-191001-120

Here are a couple of maps showing the tile highlighted in red. Its on the underside of the orbiter on left-hand side, just forward of the start of the RCC panels on the wing leading edge, and in-line with the left-hand main landing gear door.

I've added a couple of annotations to the general view bit-mapped images (click to enlarge, but resolution is limited).  I did not add these to the pdf's in order to keep the view as clean as possible - you can zoom in, copy and print views of to your hearts content.

If you don't have a large format printer available Adobe Reader gives you the option to make larger posters (document page or selected snapshot graphics views) by printing over several smaller pages which you then stick together.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/03/2014 09:12 pm
Got the images - thank you again for your time.  This one I could find on the shuttle model I have 1/32 scale.  The third one is different shaped in that it is wedge with a large circular hole of about 27 mm diameter in the center.
Thank you!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 11/03/2014 09:23 pm
Got the images - thank you again for your time.  This one I could find on the shuttle model I have 1/32 scale.  The third one is different shaped in that it is wedge with a large circular hole of about 27 mm diameter in the center.
Thank you!!

V070-395907-263 is an interesting tile, it is located around one of the main engines (SSME).  Will try and get a clean graphic which shows this.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 11/04/2014 08:01 pm
Got the images - thank you again for your time.  This one I could find on the shuttle model I have 1/32 scale.  The third one is different shaped in that it is wedge with a large circular hole of about 27 mm diameter in the center.
Thank you!!

V070-395907-263 is an interesting tile, it is located around one of the main engines (SSME).  Will try and get a clean graphic which shows this.

Tile V070-395907-263

Located on the Dome Mounted Heat Shield (DMHS) around SSME #2 on the left-hand side of the engine, slightly above the centerline.  Tiles (four rows) on this heat shield are mounted on split circular carrier panels which are fixed around the SSME after it has been installed.  The outer edge of the carrier bolts to the orbiter base shield area, and the inner edge supports a woven thermal blanket that seals the gap to a dome shield fixed to the SSME.  It acts as a sort of ball and socket arrangement to allow the SSME to gimbal.

A couple of photos and a tile map showing the location (and a pdf to allow high resolution views of the map).  Tile map view is from the left-hand side of the orbiter showing the body flap/SSME tiles.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 11/05/2014 03:53 am
We thank you so much for all your help on locating our tiles and we really appreciate your time helping us.  Sure is great being able to hold a part of a wonderful history of the space program and the more we all know of it, the better for everyone.  Again, thank you!!  Like most involved with it, you all went above and beyond.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: warddw on 11/06/2014 04:36 pm
Still looking for location info on these three - received by a school...

Thin White tile - V070-391143-204 JG0877  - SCRAP in red
Thick White tile 64642     10574
Thick Black tile VT70-191037-027   MN0101346
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 11/07/2014 12:28 am
Your first tile seems to be somewhere near (probably above) one of the two portside flight windows. I found many tiles in that area with nearly the same number but they weren't complete tile maps.

Could you double check the second tile number? It doesn't seem to be a valid number, you can see the basic numbering they used here: http://artifacts.nasa.gov/tile_serial_numbers.htm

I did find your third tile though. It's located on the port side (left) wing landing gear door. I colored it green on this. If you find a picture of the underbelly with a high resolution (think greater than 3000x3000) you can probably specifically locate this tile by comparing it to the map.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 12/02/2014 08:02 pm
I have one more Shuttle Tile we'd like to specifically locate on an available tile map if someone could for us.  It's  395051 - 138.   Triangular shaped.  From the diagrams I've seen it appears to be on the Body Flap.  Sure would appreciate any help.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 12/02/2014 08:46 pm
I have one more Shuttle Tile we'd like to specifically locate on an available tile map if someone could for us.  It's  395051 - 138.   Triangular shaped.  From the diagrams I've seen it appears to be on the Body Flap.  Sure would appreciate any help.

Nope!

Its adjacent to an External Tank umbilical door (left-hand side) on the inboard edge.  I'll try and post a decent tile map in due course (might take me a couple of days to sort).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 12/02/2014 08:50 pm
Thank you!!  We sure appreciate your help!! 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 12/02/2014 09:55 pm
Here's one I was able to quickly grab.

AnalogMan, do you recall which presentation had the good vector image of the entire underside?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 12/02/2014 10:14 pm
Here's one I was able to quickly grab.

AnalogMan, do you recall which presentation had the good vector image of the entire underside?

Thanks for the quickie map of the door tile.

I don't think I've ever seen a good vector tile map of the entire underside - if you ever come across one I'd be most interested!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 12/02/2014 10:18 pm
Thank you rayleighscatter and Analogman.  We would sure be interested in a copy of a detailed underside map if you do see one.  Again, we so much appreciate your help.  Happy Holidays!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 12/02/2014 11:28 pm
Thanks for the quickie map of the door tile.

I don't think I've ever seen a good vector tile map of the entire underside - if you ever come across one I'd be most interested!
Yes, One of the TPS assessments had an image of nearly all of the underside (maybe missing the wingtips?) in vector which was unusual, it wasn't a big image either because I remember having to zoom in about 2000% to be able to identify numbers. But I apparently didn't make note of which one it was. UGH!

Whitehat: Here's another better cleaner shot of your tile. Since I pointed it out on the other image I'll leave this one without marks. (It's still there just along the bottom edge of the fuselage by the door).

And in the offchance someone has better luck than me, I have a tile (flown even!) that I haven't been able to find in the L2 documentation: 391005-388
I think it came from the forward RCS just over one of the starboard nozzles, but I haven't been able to be sure. There's lots of good maps of the port side, but not of the starboard side.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 12/02/2014 11:47 pm
Thank you for this image.  That will help a lot.  Wish I could help on your - a flown one at that!  Fantastic!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 12/03/2014 12:05 am
I have one more Shuttle Tile we'd like to specifically locate on an available tile map if someone could for us.  It's  395051 - 138.   Triangular shaped.  From the diagrams I've seen it appears to be on the Body Flap.  Sure would appreciate any help.

Nope!

Its adjacent to an External Tank umbilical door (left-hand side) on the inboard edge.  I'll try and post a decent tile map in due course (might take me a couple of days to sort).

Ok, I now realise that I already posted a larger tile map in an earlier post which has you tile on it.  Here's a pdf file with 395051-138 marked in red.  You should be able to print/annotate a suitable image for you needs.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 12/03/2014 03:26 am
Thank you again Analogman for all your help. 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 12/03/2014 02:08 pm
And in the offchance someone has better luck than me, I have a tile (flown even!) that I haven't been able to find in the L2 documentation: 391005-388
I think it came from the forward RCS just over one of the starboard nozzles, but I haven't been able to be sure. There's lots of good maps of the port side, but not of the starboard side.

I had a search through my own collections and found plenty of 391005 series tiles both on left and right sides around the FRCS nozzles, but not your specific tile I'm afraid.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AirmanPika on 01/25/2015 11:42 pm
Well I wasn't expecting to post again so soon but unexpectedly another tile fell into my lap. This one happened to come with the supporting paperwork so I am sure this one came from Columbia (unless someone was really good at forging NASA disposition paperwork). It looks to have come from the areas around the SSMEs, but I've never been able to find a perfect map of the backside around the engines.

One thing I notice is that it appears to have been also donated as an educational piece It happens to come with educational type paperwork and has wear that coincides with tiles that have been handled a lot (the underside has been kinda rounded and looks to have been poked with finger nails). In addition, it appears to have been subjected to a blowtorch. There is some centralized discoloring. The SCRAP stamps which should be red have faded to an almost invisible black.

That said, it definitely looks to be worn for the area. It has a few repairs that match up with touchup NASA commonly did to chipped yet otherwise serviceable tiles.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 01/27/2015 09:09 am
Well I wasn't expecting to post again so soon but unexpectedly another tile fell into my lap. This one happened to come with the supporting paperwork so I am sure this one came from Columbia (unless someone was really good at forging NASA disposition paperwork). It looks to have come from the areas around the SSMEs, but I've never been able to find a perfect map of the backside around the engines.

[...]

Had a search for your tile (395903-145) in my small collection of map fragments, but was not able to find it.

395903-xxx tiles do come from the Base Heat Shield around the SSMEs as you suggest.  I've attached a copy of a tile map with 46 of these series tiles marked in red.  The map comes from L2 and is used with permission.

(zoomable pdf file also attached)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Ben Hawes on 03/16/2015 10:32 pm
Just wanted to say thanks to this thread. It was a huge help for my school project!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 03/17/2015 12:50 pm
Just wanted to say thanks to this thread. It was a huge help for my school project!

Welcome to the forum.  Glad that you've found the thread useful and that it has helped you with your project.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: chrisking0997 on 03/18/2015 01:01 am
fascinating thread...always wished to own a piece of history like these tiles.  Have to settle for living vicariously thru you guys :)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: warddw on 09/30/2015 03:21 pm
Two new ones

V070-395907-106
V070-293400-064

Second appears to be vertical stabilizer somewhere..
First is aft fuselage somewhere - back around the SSMS business end?

Any info appreciated
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 09/30/2015 09:05 pm
Two new ones

V070-395907-106
V070-293400-064

Second appears to be vertical stabilizer somewhere..
First is aft fuselage somewhere - back around the SSMS business end?

Any info appreciated

I've had a quick look through info I have, but was not able to find either of these tiles.  Did find 395907 series tiles in the area you identified (I assumed you meant SSME).  Will try a more extensive search when I have time.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: warddw on 10/08/2015 10:51 pm
Thank you! Looking forward to more information.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: racingmars on 09/02/2016 04:18 am
Hi there -- I'm hoping the tile location wizards are still here.

I'm looking for the location of tile V070-399415-115. I've been able to use previous posts in this thread to get close -- reply #13 from AnalogMan, in particular, has an image with tiles in the 399415- series. Looking at that post, I can see a ring of 399415 tiles forming the first set of tiles behind the nose cap. That's an image of the starboard side of the orbiter. I'm guessing the 399415-115 tile is on the port side, or the top or bottom, not visible in the diagram. I'd love to know the exact location if anyone is able to help!

Thanks,
Matthew
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 09/02/2016 04:54 pm
Not 100% sure, but I think it would be on the underside, slightly to the starboard of centerline.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 03/23/2017 03:53 pm
Received a good one (college) - Looked at all the previously posted maps & found the series but no cigar.
(19.5 x 26.5 cm)  From one map found I do see the "193017-" but these on left side have 5xx numbers. It appears edge of control surface but right side.  Any known map help would be fabulous!!
V070-193017
497 GK3353
MR LWG 5-09-1019
MRLWNG-5-11-1232
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 03/26/2017 06:20 pm
That is a great tile seeing as it is a space flown tile.

I couldn't find that specific number but I found some of the other 193017-4xx tiles on the inside edge of the outer starboard elevon. Based on the shape of your tile and that the damage assessments show us the underside in detail, I'd have to make an educated guess that your tile came from the top edge somewhere in the line shown in the image below.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WhiteHat on 03/29/2017 09:58 pm
Thanks for the help.  Area I was thinking too.  Sure wish the complete detailed "maps" were available and could be posted for all somewhere.  Would REALLY be interesting!! Sure would help all in locating too.  Thanks again!!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Hotdog876 on 05/10/2017 06:21 pm
Hi all,

I have a tile I would like to find out more information on. It is a black 6" x 6" square and has a rather odd number:

VT70-006006-020-001009 BOTTOM D

All I've been able to gather is that this is a test tile, and likely was meant to go on the bottom of the orbiter.

My questions are, what do the other numbers mean? Can we tell where the tile would have went specifically, or which orbiter it might have been used with? What dates/time period was this test tile in use?

Any information at all would be greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 05/10/2017 07:49 pm
Hi all,

I have a tile I would like to find out more information on. It is a black 6" x 6" square and has a rather odd number:

VT70-006006-020-001009 BOTTOM D

All I've been able to gather is that this is a test tile, and likely was meant to go on the bottom of the orbiter.

My questions are, what do the other numbers mean? Can we tell where the tile would have went specifically, or which orbiter it might have been used with? What dates/time period was this test tile in use?

Any information at all would be greatly appreciated.

As best as I can tell VT tiles are tiles for non-flight uses (testing, engineering, training, etc.). There doesn't seem to be any good information out there about these sorts of tiles though.

In all likelihood it was made from an existing template for a shuttle tile, and the 6x6 size is very common for tiles from the underside. Tiles were also made to be universal between orbiters (I think there's a handful of rare cases of variation among the 25,000 tiles though).

Time period is hard to pin down without any paperwork. I understand that in general tiles with solid number printing are from later in program and tiles with numbers made up in a kind of dot-matrix appearance are from earlier in the program.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 05/17/2017 10:33 am
A reminder to keep an eye out for this stolen hardware being put on sale (which I guess could be around this period now the story has eased away from people's minds)....

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42715.0

Would be nice to catch the fool in the act.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: OV135 on 08/04/2017 11:30 pm
I like the tile map diagrams. I've only seen these on press briefings.  Will there be a PDF version of these maps for research and model reference?  I know it's on L2, but what of a version for those not part of L2?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AirmanPika on 08/11/2017 12:11 pm
I like the tile map diagrams. I've only seen these on press briefings.  Will there be a PDF version of these maps for research and model reference?  I know it's on L2, but what of a version for those not part of L2?

Unfortunately I've not seen any 100% views of the tile maps. Unless something new cropped up on L2 in the last few years all we have are the partial views that showed up in press and technical reports. Its obvious there is a complete map for each orbiter somewhere but never made public.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Press2MECO on 08/22/2017 02:35 pm
I like the tile map diagrams. I've only seen these on press briefings.  Will there be a PDF version of these maps for research and model reference?  I know it's on L2, but what of a version for those not part of L2?

Does this mean that there are complete Tile ID maps available on L2?
It's been awhile since I've subscribed, but I'd be willing to join back up, if only for a complete Tile Map.
Guess I'm also curious as to what sort of post-shuttle documents have since shown up since retirement.

More to the point, and in order to make this post relevant in the potential absence of a full tile map still, I'm looking for the location of the following tile ID:
V070-395016-180 638196

Best I'm able to tell it's located on the top of the Body flap, likely near where the body-flap interfaces with the aft fuselage.
I've seen one tile map that showed where tile -181 is located (LH side of bodyflap), but looking for location of -180.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: WSU Planetarium on 11/20/2017 09:41 pm
Still looking for location info on these three - received by a school...

Thin White tile - V070-391143-204 JG0877  - SCRAP in red
Thick White tile 64642     10574
Thick Black tile VT70-191037-027   MN0101346

I realize this is years old, but I also just received a tile with a 64642, mine is 64642 11503 L .  Wondering if anyone has solved this mystery.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 11/21/2017 01:09 am
I still do do check people's requests. If I don't offer a reply it's because I had no luck. But since this thread especially pulls in members from other places online I suppose I should explain a little about what's going on and what I and others have done to help.

The shuttles were all covered in a variety of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) including blankets, RCC, inconel, and even ablatives. In this case what everyone is thinking about is the silica tiles. The uncovered portions have a look and feel a little like styrofoam. They can be covered in a white, or more commonly black outer coating. Every single part on the shuttles had a alpha-numeric code including all of the parts of the TPS. The codes for parts would start with VO70 (Vee Ohh Seven Zero). The first part stands for "Vehicle, Orbiter" while the "70"signifies the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Presumably if another similar craft or updated version had been developed it would have gotten a different numeric designation. The TPS codes seem to start with a 1, 2, or 3. They would have a 6 digit code which would show what region of the orbiter it was on, and a following 2 or 3 digit number would be the unique tile location. There's a few very rare cases of actual shuttle tiles that break this system.

Some tiles don't follow this system. Some have a designation of a seemingly random number, or a VT70 prefix, an "ENG" prefix, or other possible variations. While probably using an existing tile pattern these weren't likely intended for flight but rather for some form of ground testing.

So what are members on here doing to help people find their tile locations? They're using resources on the paid L2 side of the site. What we don't have there is a complete map of the entire orbiter with every tile location. I have heard people have also attempted to FOIA request a tile map from NASA with no luck either receiving replies saying they don't seem to exist. While they obviously existed at some point they were either destroyed or were perhaps only held by a private corporation such as United Space Alliance. What L2 does have are files that contain portions of these tiles maps, mostly in the form of damage assessments of the TPS from various missions. These have notable failings. L2 only has TPS reports from after the Return to Flight. Columbia and Challenger had both been lost by this point and both had many more tiles than Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour so any tile specifically associated with those two orbiters we have little insight into. The damage assessments also, obviously, focus on damage. This means damage prone areas like the nose, the OMS pods, and parts of the underside are well represented. This also means areas generally protected from damage during launch like the top of the body flap, areas around the engines, and some other areas are completely lacking in reports. Therefore nothing for us to reference.

Lastly, was your tile flown? Some giveaways would be the red bonding agent still being present on the back, or a pinhole in the front with a little white circle around it. These aren't always present on a flown tile though. But the best way to tell is if the tile is still a clean pure black or white coating then it's probably not flown. A single reentry would tend to discolor them at least some. If it's a tile NASA gave to a school a few years ago then it's almost certainly an unflown tile.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Chris Bergin on 11/26/2017 12:23 pm
Skipped through recent posts, so may have lost context, but if there is a tile number that a L2 resource can identify, members here can pass that on into the public side. Just so everyone knows.

Meanwhile....

A reminder to keep an eye out for this stolen hardware being put on sale (which I guess could be around this period now the story has eased away from people's minds)....

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=42715.0

Would be nice to catch the fool in the act.

Did that ever get resolved?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: earthfolk on 03/25/2019 02:06 pm
Hi,

I have a Shuttle tile that is said to have been removed from Columbia in 1982

Can anyone here help me locate it on the Orbiter?

(Cut off top left Corner) then it reads:

70-193012
-151 -8213

301-000M

Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 03/26/2019 08:18 pm
Your tile was (or was intended to be, I can't verify if it flew or not) located on the starboard (right) wing outer elevon. It's location is noted by the light green in the attached images.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: earthfolk on 03/27/2019 12:28 pm
Thank you rayleighscatter!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: [email protected] on 05/19/2019 12:53 pm
any knowledge of this tile?

V070-395004-023-008602 Or -808602
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Fequalsma on 05/19/2019 10:53 pm
Are the lat/lon where that tile was found?
F=ma


any knowledge of this tile?

V070-395004-023-008602 Or -808602
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 05/20/2019 04:06 pm
On digging a little further, the number on that tile does not appear to correspond to the shape on the drawing.  The tile in the photo appears to be 6 inches by 6 inches, but that part number should be a 3 inch by 6 inch tile (confirmed with photos from later flights).

To be sure, this shows no signs of being flown.  No waterproofing injection circles, no reentry flow streaks.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 05/20/2019 04:50 pm
Digging EVEN deeper: I highly suspect this is a "Tiles for Teachers" tile and not a "real" flight tile: https://web.archive.org/web/20160101200008/https://artifacts.nasa.gov/tile_serial_numbers.htm

A couple notes:

 - Flight tiles have their part numbers stenciled on (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Space_Shuttle_Endeavour_Tile_damage_Aug_12-2007.jpg).  I'm unaware of any flight tiles that use this dot matrix style of printing.

 - The first characters of the tile in the photo are VO70, which corresponds to the link above.  The problem is that their explanation is incorrect.  "V" does indeed mean "Vehicle End Item", but the second character should be a "0" (zero), not an "O".  The choices are "0", "C", "D", "K", "P", "R", "S", and "T".  "0" in this case means "Production Configuration".  The next digits refer to it being an orbiter drawing -- "70" refers to the orbiter.   Other choices are 72 through 76 and 82.

 - As I mentioned before, the size of the tile is wrong for the part number.

Sorry to say, this isn't a "real" tile -- it's most likely an artifact produced from tile stock for NASA to distribute at the end of the program.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: woods170 on 05/20/2019 06:23 pm
Digging EVEN deeper: I highly suspect this is a "Tiles for Teachers" tile and not a "real" flight tile: https://web.archive.org/web/20160101200008/https://artifacts.nasa.gov/tile_serial_numbers.htm (https://web.archive.org/web/20160101200008/https://artifacts.nasa.gov/tile_serial_numbers.htm)

A couple notes:

 - Flight tiles have their part numbers stenciled on (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Space_Shuttle_Endeavour_Tile_damage_Aug_12-2007.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Space_Shuttle_Endeavour_Tile_damage_Aug_12-2007.jpg)).  I'm unaware of any flight tiles that use this dot matrix style of printing.

 - The first characters of the tile in the photo are VO70, which corresponds to the link above.  The problem is that their explanation is incorrect.  "V" does indeed mean "Vehicle End Item", but the second character should be a "0" (zero), not an "O".  The choices are "0", "C", "D", "K", "P", "R", "S", and "T".  "0" in this case means "Production Configuration".  The next digits refer to it being an orbiter drawing -- "70" refers to the orbiter.   Other choices are 72 through 76 and 82.

 - As I mentioned before, the size of the tile is wrong for the part number.

Sorry to say, this isn't a "real" tile -- it's most likely an artifact produced from tile stock for NASA to distribute at the end of the program.

Agreed that the tile isn't a flight tile. It reminded me of something I had seen on an old picture. So, I dug into my archives and low and behold I found a picture of a similar tile with dot matrix printing.

Image is from a very early STS program TPS tile. Those tiles were distributed to interested parties in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The museum where I'm a volunteer has one in its inventory. It's shown in the image below.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 05/20/2019 10:04 pm
I haven't had a chance to research the number yet, but that style of tile is a legitimate style used during a portion of the shuttle program. Attached is a close up photo I took of Discovery a few years ago. Many of the tiles have that style of numbering (some have been re-inked in different styles too).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: DaveS on 05/20/2019 10:39 pm
I haven't had a chance to research the number yet, but that style of tile is a legitimate style used during a portion of the shuttle program. Attached is a close up photo I took of Discovery a few years ago. Many of the tiles have that style of numbering (some have been re-inked in different styles too).
Yes, but what complicates things is the lack of a tile waterproofing injection hole in the center of the tile. But then it is possible that it is an early (pre-STS-51L) tile, before they developed the definite tile waterproofing agent and application method. Prior to STS-51L they used regular off-the-shelf 3M ScotchGuard sprayed directly onto the tiles in the OPF. But they quickly found out that the ScotchGuard was not compatible with the adhesive used to bond the tiles to the Strain Isolation Pads (SIPs). This was what caused Discovery to used instead of Challenger on  STS-51C after nearly 5,000 of Challenger's tiles had become debonded during the entry of STS-41G.

So a new waterproofing agent had to be found and that was dimethylethoxysilane injected directly into the substrate of each tile with the use of an needles gun.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 05/20/2019 10:49 pm
I haven't had a chance to research the number yet, but that style of tile is a legitimate style used during a portion of the shuttle program. Attached is a close up photo I took of Discovery a few years ago. Many of the tiles have that style of numbering (some have been re-inked in different styles too).
Yes, but what complicates things is the lack of a tile waterproofing injection hole in the center of the tile. But then it is possible that it is an early (pre-STS-51L) tile, before they developed the definite tile waterproofing agent and application method. Prior to STS-51L they used regular off-the-shelf 3M ScotchGuard sprayed directly onto the tiles in the OPF. But they quickly found out that the ScotchGuard was not compatible with the adhesive used to bond the tiles to the Strain Isolation Pads (SIPs). This was what caused Discovery to used instead of Challenger on  STS-51C after nearly 5,000 of Challenger's tiles had become debonded during the entry of STS-41G.

So a new waterproofing agent had to be found and that was dimethylethoxysilane injected directly into the substrate of each tile with the use of an needles gun.

It certainly isn't a flown tile, 99% of those in private hands aren't. But the inking doesn't disqualify it for having been made for use, even if never installed.

As pointed out earlier, it's the wrong shape for the number that is printed on it. I wonder if it was a production error, which is why it was never installed and therefore made it out into the wild.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: [email protected] on 05/21/2019 02:02 am
No, the Lat Long details are from my camera.
I am an investigator
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Jester on 05/21/2019 07:11 pm
No, the Lat Long details are from my camera.
I am an investigator

pretty sure that's a Titles for Teachers (or potentially a test tile) tile, not a flown tile

for ref. only very old tiles have yellow text (and not the dotted kind but the "filled" kind) see attached example from STS-1 and later OV-102 tile
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: [email protected] on 05/26/2019 11:47 am
That is a great tile seeing as it is a space flown tile.

I couldn't find that specific number but I found some of the other 193017-4xx tiles on the inside edge of the outer starboard elevon. Based on the shape of your tile and that the damage assessments show us the underside in detail, I'd have to make an educated guess that your tile came from the top edge somewhere in the line shown in the image below.

Can you find tile V070-395004-023-008602 Or -808602
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 05/26/2019 02:18 pm
Here is a tile map showing the location of tile 395004-023 but, as previously noted by SWGlassPit, your tile does not match the shape shown in the tile map.  This map is for orbiter OV-103.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: emvdmeer on 07/12/2019 09:49 pm
Hi all,
I am a physics teacher in the Netherlands and contacted NASA for a tile also.
But unfortunately I am being discriminated as they say this is only for US schools.  >:(   :'(
Also I read it's illegal to export the tiles.
More discrimination. Sadly. That for a nation who values freedom and exploration.

I myself grew up with the space shuttles and would love to share my enthusiasm with my students.
Too bad I can't share this.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 07/12/2019 10:03 pm
Hi all,
I am a physics teacher in the Netherlands and contacted NASA for a tile also.
But unfortunately I am being discriminated as they say this is only for US schools.  >:(   :'(
Also I read it's illegal to export the tiles.
More discrimination. Sadly. That for a nation who values freedom and exploration.

I myself grew up with the space shuttles and would love to share my enthusiasm with my students.
Too bad I can't share this.

Following export control laws is not really discrimination.  You might try reaching out to ESA to see if you can get any relevant educational materials from them.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Dm031764 on 10/25/2019 10:22 pm
Hello everyone!

I'm trying to locate the maps for the following tiles:

V070-1961008-101, V070-395034-228

Any help would be much appreciated!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 10/29/2019 12:12 am
Hello everyone!

I'm trying to locate the maps for the following tiles:

V070-1961008-101, V070-395034-228

Any help would be much appreciated!

The first 3 digits of a tile's number usually give a good indication of where they were intended. 399 is the nose, 292 is the rudder, 396 are the OMS pods, etc. 196, though, seems to be missing from any of the sources I have. Now any other tile beginning in 1 is found on the wing structure. My educated guess would be that 196 was a series of tile present on Columbia, as the later shuttles had a different configuration of tiles on the wings. But all the sources I can use are from after the Columbia disaster, so I can't find anything for that orbiter.

395034-228, on the otherhand, I had luck with. It would have been located on the underside of the body flap, almost at the very back. The body flap is the panel that juts out underneath the engines. The below pictures show the underside of a space shuttle orbiter.





Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Dm031764 on 10/29/2019 08:58 pm
Hello everyone!

I'm trying to locate the maps for the following tiles:

V070-1961008-101, V070-395034-228

Any help would be much appreciated!

The first 3 digits of a tile's number usually give a good indication of where they were intended. 399 is the nose, 292 is the rudder, 396 are the OMS pods, etc. 196, though, seems to be missing from any of the sources I have. Now any other tile beginning in 1 is found on the wing structure. My educated guess would be that 196 was a series of tile present on Columbia, as the later shuttles had a different configuration of tiles on the wings. But all the sources I can use are from after the Columbia disaster, so I can't find anything for that orbiter.

395034-228, on the otherhand, I had luck with. It would have been located on the underside of the body flap, almost at the very back. The body flap is the panel that juts out underneath the engines. The below pictures show the underside of a space shuttle orbiter.

This is amazing work, thank you! 395034-228 matches the tile I've got exactly.

It turns out I had a typo on the other tile. The tile number is actually V070-191008-101, which tells me that it comes from somewhere on the lower wing surface.

Is there any way to tell if these are flown/flight tiles?

V070-395034-228 has a serial number of 030931 and looks really quite weathered (see attached photos).

V070-191008-101 has a serial number of 008646 and the underside of the tile is marked with a stamp of 'OV-U99' and 'DEN'

There is also a third tile I'm working on identifying, LI900-075 8001 K. This looks like a test piece to me and I don't believe it to be flight, but any provenance would be appreciated.


Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 10/29/2019 10:30 pm
The corrected number was much easier to find, it actually only took me a few minutes.

It would be located under the left hand (port) wing almost halfway between the landing gear door and the leading wing edge. It's position is noted by the blue marks on the attached images.

The tile you posted the picture of certainly has most of the hallmarks of a flown tile. It's lost its pure black appearance and has that charcoal grey color from intense heating. The very faded numbering on it is also consistent with a heavily flown tile.

It has the red RTV which is almost never seen on unflown tiles. But, it's lacking the felt strain isolation pad which usually is still present on a flown tile. Since you didn't mention it, I'm guessing the paperwork that explains its removal is no longer with it.

The lack of strain isolation pad really leaves me conflicted on its history.

----------

Your third tile it almost certainly some sort of test tile. The tiles made for potential use always have the VO70 prefix. Most test tiles usually copy an existing mold for an actual tile location, but I'm not aware of any way to identify which one.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Dm031764 on 10/30/2019 03:08 am
I took a look at tile V070-191008-101 008646 again and it looks like it actually could be associated with Challenger. It's got a marking I mistook as "OV-U99" when after a closer look it was clearly OV-099, Challenger.

There is no nomex pad, but there is the red RTV and the telltale thermal streaks that are the signature of a flown article.

I've attached a few more photos of the tile here, the streaking may be a bit difficult to see with the plastic wrapping.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 12/10/2019 09:51 pm
And I had a request through a PM for shuttle tile identification, and since I can't attach images to PM's, here it is for everyone.

Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Dm031764 on 12/12/2019 09:38 pm
So I have made some developments in the hunt to find histories for the tiles I had previously posted above, which I thought I would share with the community.

I FOIA'd NASA and based on the tile part numbers, they provided me with these results:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lbyX56IEzXg-VQaSlFx7OME2KU9B18GQ/view?usp=sharing

For 191008-101 there wasn't a whole lot of luck. It must have come off of OV-099 before March 1984. If that is the case, I imagine finding any sort of problem reports or records are going to be pretty tough. Any leads on this from our seasoned Shuttle folks on this would be much appreciated.

395034-228 (the big triangle tile) actually has a problem report for March 1 1984 - and the description lists "one chip". They didn't expand the search results, as you can see, and so it doesn't list the exact orbiter, but I think I was able to piece it together pretty well from there.

So as the problem report description states, there is one chip, and coincidentally my tile has one large chip out of the face (S-1?) that looks like they had attempted some sort of repair on as you can see in the photo I had posted earlier in the thread.

The timing here of Mar. 1984 fits with removal from OV-099 as well, as Challenger would have been in the OPF at that time between STS-41B in Feb 1984 and STS-41C in April.

A big clue is that the injection sites aren't circled - this practice started post STS-51L, which means the tile would have to come from before that flight. Additionally, the tile was injected with waterproofing agent multiple times over several processing cycles as evidenced by the 5 injection holes on the tile. STS-41B was the 4th flight of Challenger - and I believe the waterproofing injection started with STS-7.

Columbia would have been in Palmdale at that time in March 1984 undergoing major overhaul.

There were no other problem reports listed for this part number during that pre STS-51L timeframe that the tile would have come from.

This tells me that it is likely that this tile flew on Challenger for STS-6, 7, 8 and 41B before its subsequent removal in Mar. 1984 prior to STS-41C.

Very interesting stuff!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: patfitts on 01/09/2020 03:59 pm
Good morning,

I was wondering if you all were still identifying tiles?

V070-394048-233-008511

I saw some awesome maps in the other comments, but could not locate this tile.

Thank you in advance!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 01/09/2020 05:57 pm
Good morning,

I was wondering if you all were still identifying tiles?

V070-394048-233-008511

I saw some awesome maps in the other comments, but could not locate this tile.

Thank you in advance!

I don't have a picture for you, but it's from the forward section of the lower mid-fuselage.  Just inboard of the far forward part of the right wing.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 01/09/2020 11:26 pm
Good morning,

I was wondering if you all were still identifying tiles?

V070-394048-233-008511

I saw some awesome maps in the other comments, but could not locate this tile.

Thank you in advance!

Tile map showing your tile (click to enlarge).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: patfitts on 01/10/2020 02:23 pm
Good morning,

I was wondering if you all were still identifying tiles?

V070-394048-233-008511

I saw some awesome maps in the other comments, but could not locate this tile.

Thank you in advance!

Tile map showing your tile (click to enlarge).


Thank you! That is great :)  Any more insight on this tile? I got it for my birthday
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 01/12/2020 04:46 pm
Good morning,

I was wondering if you all were still identifying tiles?

V070-394048-233-008511

I saw some awesome maps in the other comments, but could not locate this tile.

Thank you in advance!

Tile map showing your tile (click to enlarge).


Thank you! That is great :)  Any more insight on this tile? I got it for my birthday

Sorry,  I've no other info other than the location.

By the way, welcome to the forum.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: patfitts on 01/16/2020 01:00 pm
Good morning,

I was wondering if you all were still identifying tiles?

V070-394048-233-008511

I saw some awesome maps in the other comments, but could not locate this tile.

Thank you in advance!

Tile map showing your tile (click to enlarge).


Thank you! That is great :)  Any more insight on this tile? I got it for my birthday

Sorry,  I've no other info other than the location.

By the way, welcome to the forum.


Thank you and thank you for your help!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Press2MECO on 03/08/2020 05:56 pm
Hi all,

Looking for help, both from a prior post back in 2017 that I never saw a response to, as well as another new request for tile ID locations.

First going back to the request from 2017, I'm looking for the location of the following tile ID: V070-395016-180 638196

Best I'm able to tell it's located on the top of the Body flap, likely near where the body-flap interfaces with the aft fuselage.
I've seen one tile map that showed where tile -181 is located (LH side of bodyflap), but looking for location of -180.

And as for the new request, V070-396048-090 & -088.
From the 396048, I know they're located on the OMS pod. These have the distinguishing characteristic of both have large holes in them for a fastener to run through to to be attached to the OMS Pod. It looks like this area was frequently disassembled during ground processing and tiles, located on carrier panels, reattached prior to flight.
From what best I can tell, looking at 'RPM' and OPF closeout photos,  these are very "likely" located on RH OMS pod, inboard and adjacent to the dual aft facing RCS nozzles.

However, I haven't been able to find any photos confirming these two tile numbers ay this location. Everything I've seen shows tile s/n numbers in the 1XX range.
The one readily public available resource I know of (the NTRS tile location array sheet) doesn't provide a return for either of these two s/n.

So I'm just looking for some photographic or tile map proof of their location.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 03/15/2020 01:43 pm
I wasn't able to find any of the specifically. The tile on the body flap would be a real long shot because it's in such a sheltered location that tiles in that area won't likely get damaged and turn up in the reports.

I also couldn't find your specific tiles on the RH OMS. I found tile numbers for the LH OMS which uses odd numbers to the RH's evens. The two that I have boxed in on the LH OMS though are likely the equivalent tiles for your two on the RH side. So your guess on location is probably right. The are likely on the RH OMS just below and inboard of the rear facing maneuvering thrusters.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Press2MECO on 03/16/2020 02:44 am
Hey, thanks for this info and the image extract.
Whereas it's not a 100% definitive proof, it's at least possible evidence of the odd nos. being applied to the RH OMS pod.
Bummer nothing further on the body flap tile, but your suspicions for why make sense.
I'll continue to keep my eyes open for additional proof/evidence.

The question still somewhat remains - approaching 10 years out of service and with the orbiters now well-established in museums how come these tile maps still haven't seen a wider release?
I'm sure the ready answer still remains ITAR constraints due to association with the tiles.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: nxt313 on 05/04/2020 02:45 pm
Hey all, first. post on the form

The other day I found a thermal tile but I'm having a hard time figuring out where it came from. As you can see in the pictures the ID starts with SGD and not VO or VT like all of the other tiles I've seen. If anyone could help me figure out where it may have come from it would be greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Mick63 on 05/05/2020 02:31 pm
That's interesting to say the least.  I am wondering; how you just 'found' a thermal tile. But I hope someone can help you figure out  where it came from.  I am also brand new here, it looks like I showed up about 18 hours before you did, so I guess that makes me authorized to say welcome to the forum. Apparently they don't do that here even if you have something space related to post about.
 
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 05/06/2020 06:51 pm
Part number doesn't match either Shuttle, Orion, or X-37B part numbers for tiles that I can tell.

Some Johnson Space Center drawings begin with SDG or SEG...
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 05/06/2020 10:46 pm
This is a new number to me as well. Part of the number grouping (39120322-053) is very similar to shuttle tile numbering (the 391 prefix would put it near the front of the flight deck) but the number is a digit too long...

My off the cuff guess would be that it was produced for some non-shuttle program that was considering using the tiles, or experimenting on their properties. Although, as pointed out the number isn't similar to Orion or X-37. But it could have been part of something else like HL-20, CRV, or any number of other programs that barely made it to the drawing board.

The S/N 1001 also probably means this was the first tile produced for its purpose (and also may have been the only one).
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: nxt313 on 05/08/2020 03:53 pm
That's really cool! Thanks for the information
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 05/08/2020 04:52 pm
Ok, looking through other drawings, I'm 100% sure this is a JSC engineering part number.  I'm seeing numerous other "SGD3912XXXX" parts (but not this one in particular).  Dates on all of these appear to be mid-90s.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: nxt313 on 05/08/2020 10:34 pm
Do you know what kind of projects it would have been used on? Sorry on my lack of knowledge. I'm working on my science teacher certification and got it for my future classroom.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: wcgems on 08/18/2020 12:10 pm
I have a tile that was just given to me and have not been able to find it on the "maps".  Mostly because the maps that I had are now gone and cant find them again online.  Any help with location for this one?  I know the GENERAL AREA area it should be from but looking for the placement.

V08-391-040-251  7hb1h9

Thanks to any and all for you assistance
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: wcgems on 08/18/2020 08:02 pm
I mistyped.... it IS V07 .
I will get a picture and post
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: wcgems on 08/20/2020 03:19 pm
Here is picture of my tile
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: rayleighscatter on 08/26/2020 12:37 am
Finally, one I can definitely help with.

It is located on the outside edge of the forward landing gear door (port side).
In the image below, you're looking at the underside of the shuttle, and the nose would be just on the left beyond the image.

Title: Shuttle Tile Location?
Post by: ldjamin on 02/14/2021 10:54 pm
Hi, I have a tile that was presented to me some time ago. The number is:

VO70 - 199718 - 064.

Based upon my research I believe it to be from the UPR/LWR Wing Leading Edge? I think it would be cool to find the exact location on the orbiter but have been unable to find any "maps" showing the location.

Any help would be appreciated!

Great website- thanks
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 02/15/2021 11:10 am
Hi, I have a tile that was presented to me some time ago. The number is:

VO70 - 199718 - 064.

Based upon my research I believe it to be from the UPR/LWR Wing Leading Edge? I think it would be cool to find the exact location on the orbiter but have been unable to find any "maps" showing the location.

Any help would be appreciated!

Great website- thanks

Welcome to the forum.

I may have a hit on your tile number on a fragment of a tile map, but its not obvious a the moment which tile it is due to overlapping graphical elements (might be a case of both upper and lower surface tile IDs and outlines superimposed in the same area)

Will need to investigate further - will get back to you if I can give a better answer, but its definitely in the wing leading edge area.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: ldjamin on 02/15/2021 11:04 pm
WOW, thanks so much for the quick response & welcome! Looking forward to anything you can find!

regards, Lance
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AnalogMan on 02/23/2021 02:31 pm
Hi, I have a tile that was presented to me some time ago. The number is:

VO70 - 199718 - 064.

Based upon my research I believe it to be from the UPR/LWR Wing Leading Edge? I think it would be cool to find the exact location on the orbiter but have been unable to find any "maps" showing the location.

Any help would be appreciated!

Great website- thanks

Welcome to the forum.

I may have a hit on your tile number on a fragment of a tile map, but its not obvious a the moment which tile it is due to overlapping graphical elements (might be a case of both upper and lower surface tile IDs and outlines superimposed in the same area)

Will need to investigate further - will get back to you if I can give a better answer, but its definitely in the wing leading edge area.

So, I think I've found and identified your tile after a little dissassembly of the graphics that make up the tile map I have.  I've marked your tile in red, as shown in the attached snapshot.  As you can see it is on the underside of the right wing leading edge of the orbiter.

I've also attached two pdf files which are in vector graphic form, so you can zoom away to your heart's content to look at the details.  One is of the original tile map slide, the other I've edited to shift the RCC sections away from the leading edge so you can see more of the tile IDs.

Edit to add:  Your tile should measure almost exactly 7 x 4 inches according to another document I found in my collections.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: ldjamin on 02/26/2021 01:00 am
AnalogMan, you are awesome! This information is great and very much appreciated! And you're correct on the size of the tile. (see pics).

I do have another question that I'm hoping you or someone else on the site can answer.

The supporting paperwork I have indicates the tile was removed from Discovery on 28-July-06. Among other things, The "Barcode Cover Sheet" states: "STS/FLT - 116/033". I thought this indicated that it was removed from STS-116. However, the STS-116 mission was from 12/9 ~ 12/21/06. (after the removal date)

So the removal date seems to correspond to STS-121 (7/4 ~ 7/16/06) which was the [Discovery] mission prior to STS-116. All this would suggest that when the tile is removed, the paperwork reflects the following mission of the same orbiter?

Not sure that makes sense........... thoughts anyone?

thanks again, lance
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: bgambina on 02/26/2021 07:35 pm
All,

Just got my hands on a shuttle tile, but looking at all of the tile maps, I've gotten as close as finding the first 6 digits which are port side crew hatch tiles, but cant find the exact tile.  Any help is greatly appreciated!!

P/N: 391046-039
S/N: H-23469
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: Rocket Guy on 05/13/2021 07:41 pm
How about this serial, which as far as I can tell does not match a specific area (written as follows):

V070-034
591-62-3619

Thanks.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: luismaria on 06/22/2021 08:42 am
Hello, this is my first post.

I have a fit check tile from Challenger with the following serial number: V070-391040-112

I couldn't find its location. I only know that it should be in the forward fuselage upper and lower. That's all I know. I would be very grateful if someone could shed some light on this.

Thanks a lot.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: AdAstraAstroNut on 08/13/2022 12:53 am
Looking for where this tile would be located on the Shuttle.  I would appreciate it very much.

Very unusual tile.  Measuring about 6” across the front.

It has a hole through the front and is hollow in the center.  It’s actually heavy, not like another tile that another Teacher  had that I had handled.  Weighs about 3 times as much.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 08/18/2022 02:57 pm
See my answer here (https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=24080.msg2397541#msg2397541)
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SpaceArtifact on 10/27/2022 10:05 pm
I have a 'scrap' unused white tile with the serial number VO7O-391039-184 710035. It is just about square and approximately 1/4" thick.

Any insight into its location is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SpaceArtifact on 11/29/2022 09:37 pm
In now what is late twenty twenty two, is there a place (DB) that I can go to find a tile location without bothering anyone? Link? Thanks!
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SpaceArtifact on 02/08/2023 04:05 pm
Any web links to tile charts?
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: captn3nn0 on 11/03/2023 02:07 pm
Im hoping someone may be able to help.  I recently received a tile with the serial 191056-016.  From what I can have been able to find, I think it is on the starboard underside aft of the rear wheel well.  Unfortunately, that seems to be one of the areas missing in all the diagrams I can find.  Does anyone happen to have a diagram of that particular area?  I would like to display it along with the actual tile for my students.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: jstrotha0975 on 11/03/2023 03:51 pm
Im hoping someone may be able to help.  I recently received a tile with the serial 191056-016.  From what I can have been able to find, I think it is on the starboard underside aft of the rear wheel well.  Unfortunately, that seems to be one of the areas missing in all the diagrams I can find.  Does anyone happen to have a diagram of that particular area?  I would like to display it along with the actual tile for my students.

Posting a picture of the tile made aid in it's identification area.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: captn3nn0 on 11/07/2023 02:33 pm
It is one tile as a part of a larger collection.  It is my understanding that the "T" in VT means that it was meant for testing vs the VO for actual orbiter tiles.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 11/07/2023 04:46 pm
It is one tile as a part of a larger collection.  It is my understanding that the "T" in VT means that it was meant for testing vs the VO for actual orbiter tiles.

Correct. That particular tile came from a roughly two foot square test article that was used in an arcjet test chamber. This test article had thermocouples embedded within it to measure temperature at various depths -- some within the tile itself, some at the location where it's glued to the isolation pad underneath.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: captn3nn0 on 11/08/2023 04:24 pm
Wow, I'm impressed you could glean all that from the picture, but you are absolutely correct.  I can take a few more pictures if people are interested.  This one actually has simulated damage to the tile array.  My understanding is that even though it was a test panel, It still corresponded to a location on the orbiter.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SWGlassPit on 11/13/2023 01:50 pm
It more or less corresponds to the general belly area, the bulk of which is covered in tiles roughly 6 inches square.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: captn3nn0 on 11/13/2023 04:58 pm
I figured as much, but I appreciate the added insight.  Was hoping to find a diagram of that particular area but alas, it seems to be missing in all the ones I have seen.
Title: Re: Shuttle Tile identification
Post by: SydneySpace on 02/01/2024 04:19 am
Hello. I have a tile as in the picture I was wondering if you can help with its location on the space shuttle. The tile number is:

V070 -??4012 -052 -8050

Two digits have been lost to time and the second lost digit may be a '9'.

I have found the rest of the posts very interesting to read and appreciate all help.

Thanks.