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Ablative Shielding
Most space and interstellar probes and vessels use some form of ablative heat shields; their outer surface is coated with heat-dissipating shielding that evaporates or burns away upon impact with relativistic particles (for interstellar vessels) or during atmospheric entry at high speed. Ablative shielding is also used as a defense against beam and particle weapons.
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Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Initially published on 31 December 2001.
Initially published on 31 December 2001.
