Compose a 1000 words essay about heat transfer

Look up the Columbia space shuttle tragedy on the Web. Based on this Internet research and the discussion in class write a short essay (about a 1000 words) on the importance of heat shielding for re-entry of the space shuttle, focusing on the Columbia shuttle tragedy. What are the space shuttle tiles made of? Why are they different colors? What other uses have been found for this technology? Remember to cite all your sources of information.