[meteorite-list] Stardust SRC Hot to the touch?

[Larry Lebofsky]

Hi Martin:

Ron is probably the expert on this, but meteoroids ablate as they come in so 
most of the energy vaporizes the object (as fast as the heat is transferred 
into the object). One does not want this for a spacecraft (would have to start 
out very large), so the heat shield absorbs much of the energy and can "take 
the heat."

Larry

Quoting Martin Horejsi <accretiondesk at gmail.com>:

> Hi Ron and All,
> 
> I am wondering why the Stardust SRC might arrive to earth too hot to
> touch, yet the mantra for meteorites is they must be cold even though
> history is littered with witnesses claiming the stones and irons were,
> you guessed it, too hot to touch.
> 
> Here is an excerpt from the Stardust press kit, page: 14-15:
> 
> Following a normal entry, the capsule will be hand-carried to the
> helicopter for trans-
> port. The capsule will be warm; temperature of the heat shield could
> be as high as 60 Celsius (140 Fahrenheit), so handlers will be
> required to wear protective gloves.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Martin
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