Tile, Space Shuttle Insulation, White, STS-1

This Space Shuttle thermal insulation tile was removed from the left orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod after being damaged on the first flight of Columbia in 1981. White LRSI (low-temperature reusable surface insulation) tiles shielded selected areas on the sides and upper surfaces of the vehicle from the heat of re-entry into the atmosphere.

Originally about 7,000 LRSI tiles shielded portions of the Shuttle's vertical tail, OMS pods, upper wings, and the forward, mid and aft fuselage. However, most of the white ceramic tiles were replaced with quilted insulation blankets that were lighter weight, more durable, and easier to produce and install than the tiles. NASA transferred a number of such tiles to the Museum after the STS-1 mission.