Heat shield

Due to the friction with the atmosphere, the external panels of the spacecraft can reach a temperature of 1500 C°. The small round holes in the plate host the jets of the two micro-boosters that regulate the direction of the ship. To protect the crew and the systems insulating and resistant materials are used. This plate is one of the external panels of the Soyuz used in 2002 for the TM-34 mission, in which the Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori took part.