Atmospheric Entry Thermal Protection Systems

Heat shields and thermal protection that keep a spacecraft or missile warhead from burning up when it re-enters the atmosphere at high speed, including ablative coatings that char and carry heat away, reusable ceramic tiles and insulating blankets. An invention belongs here when the cited article describes it as a way of protecting a vehicle from the heat of entry. Crew escape and landing systems belong in the crew escape group, and life support systems in the pressurization group, of the same field.