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Aresearch.39 net.columbia utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!mhtsa!research!sjb Thu Sep 17 20:51:53 1981 tiles/SRB's In October, production will being on about 3000 new tiles to be used on the third shuttle, the Discoverer. The new tiles, a mix of silica and aluminoborosilicate fibers as opposed to the present all silica ones, will provide a ``tougher external skin'' for the Discoverer and greater heat resistance. They will cover about 10% of the Discoverer and possibly more of future shuttles. Lighter than the present ones, they will lessen the weight of the Discoverer by about 1000 pounds. Delivery to Rockwell for installation should be in January of 1982.

A plant for the refurbishing of the solid rocket fuel boosters, a reusable part of the shuttle, may be built near Cape Canaveral for the sole purpose of repairing any damages the SRB's sustain during lift off.

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