Damond Benningfield

Damond Benningfield is a science writer and audio producer in Austin, Texas. See more at damondbenningfield.com.

All the shuttle's insulating tiles are marked for identification, useful for installation and accident investigation. Just 15 percent of the tiles on the shuttle's underside pose 85 percent of the risk of a tile-related accident.

Shuttle Tiles

Why the space shuttle can withstand reentry temperatures up to 2,300 degrees.

Installed in the cargo hold, the FAA’s onboard inert-gas generation system prototype made nine test flights in an Airbus A320 last year.

Safer Fuel Tanks

Once airliners implement this pending FAA rule, a spark will no longer become a flame

Ground Proximity Warnings

Better technology is helping airline pilots keep a safe distance from terrain

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