This specimen is a mission-flown nose landing gear tire fragment from the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102). Serial number verification against public information indicates the tire was removed from service after Columbia's 13th mission (STS-52).

As shown, the specimen is encased in an acrylic specimen jar. The material is layered (in this case 20-ply) and highly irregular. Our target size is approximately 1x1 cm, but there will be variation in width, length, thickness, and texture. Some specimens may exhibit small metallic bands from the interior of the tire while others may be completely smooth. This makes each specimen absolutely unique!

This specimen is a mission-flown tile fragment from the Space Shuttle Challenger. Known as a low-temperature surface insulation tile (LRSI), the tile is comprised of low-density silica. The tiles protected parts of the orbiter exposed to temperatures in excess of 1,200°F and below 0°F. Deposition paperwork indicates it was removed after Challenger's 6th Mission, STS-41-G, which flew on 10/05/1984.

Each tile was unique, specifically designed to meet the exact shape, weight, and temperature resistance required at its location on the craft.

This specimen is a fragment from a mission-flown payload liner of the Discovery. Made of fire-resistant beta cloth, this material covered insulation and kept the payload area clean and pristine.

NASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular piece of the payload liner was removed after Discovery’s mission to deploy numerous science instruments (STS-85), which flew on August 7, 1997.

In addition to keeping things looking tidy, the payload bay liner also prevented possible dust cross-contamination between the orbiter's systems from the cargo.

Today, Discovery can be found at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, not far from Mini Museum Headquarters!

This specimen is a piece of a mission-flown insulation blanket, which was part of Atlantis' Thermal Control System. The Space Shuttle Atlantis (OV-104) was the fourth of the five space shuttles used in space operations. It was also the final shuttle to be flown. Atlantis orbited Earth 4,848 times, traveling approximately 126 million miles, and carried 156 different passengers over its time in service.

Both thermal blanket specimens are look quite similar so we've marked the bottom of the specimen jar. This way you can tell them apart and get them back in the correct riker display case if you happen to have both out at the same time.

This specimen is a piece of a mission-flown insulation blanket, which was part of Endeavour's Thermal Control System. The TCS helped the ship withstand the extreme increase in temperatures during atmospheric reentry and the TCS blanket was applied to the inside of the shuttle to protect internal components and systems.

Softgoods such as the blanket were a simple and efficient way to provide lightweight insulation to delicate items. NASA disposition paperwork received with this item indicates this particular blanket was removed after STS-99 which flew on 02/11/2000, which was this shuttle’s last solo mission.

Special Handling Notice: It's very important to note that this was a multi-layer insulation blanket so we've elected to provide multiple layers with each specimen. All specimens will have a layer of aluminized Kapton foil and a layer of fibrous bulk material. It's also possible that there may be fragments of the Dacron net separator material. If you choose to open the specimen jar, take great care. The Kapton is very light and slightly brittle with age and use. It may fly away or even break into smaller pieces.

During its three decades of operation, NASA's Space Shuttle program delivered 133 successful missions, beginning with Columbia's inaugural mission in 1981 and concluding with Atlantis' final flight in 2011.

Missions involved many vital tasks, such as maintaining the International Space Station, repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, and deploying many satellites. Scientific experiments featured heavily in the rotation, using the reusable Spacelab developed by the European Space Agency. The program was a worthy successor to the Apollo missions, heralding a new age in space exploration.

Want to read more about NASA's shuttle program? Check out the link below for our full history article!