Subtitle

Usage of Glass in Space & Technology

Prajeeshvaran

What type of glass is used in space?

As you can imagine not all glass can be used in space. Space offers harsh conditions and the
materials used must be made to withstand unusual criteria. Spaceships have to withstand
unbearably high atmosphere reentry temperatures which is no easy task..

That’s why many of these shuttles have triple paned, optical-quality windows. Inside, the space
shuttle often utilizes a tempered alumino-silicate glass pane which is also called the pressure
pane. This protection is needed so the vehicle can more easily withstand extreme cabin pressure
in the vacuum of space.
Many other space vehicles and habitats, including the International Space Station, use low
thermal expansion glass for the external window panes. This amazing glass has the strength to
successfully withstand the tremendous cold of space, a cold that can get down to 3 degrees
Kelvin. But it’s not only about the windows, because the other parts of the shuttles must be
protected as well, and that is where frit comes in. Frit is essentially finely powdered glass, and it is
used to glaze the tiles that also prevent the ship from burning up mid-flight. Frit is also used
underneath and on top of the shuttle as well as on the side of the engine, tail, fuselage, and the
wing tops.

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