When it comes to space travel, the heat is on. During each of their Earth-orbiting missions, NASA's four space shuttles are subjected to temperatures ranging from minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit in space to nearly 3000 degrees during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Thus the ability of the orbiter to take the heat is critical to ensuring the safety of the crew and on-board equipment. Because of this, the surface of the orbiter, which is covered by 24,000 protective thermal tiles, is carefully scrutinized after each flight. Typically, the process of assessing the quality of each and every one of the tiles is a painstaking manual effort. Fortunately for the workers in the trenches, there is a laser light at the end of the tedious tunnel.
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