[FPSPACE] Chinese oak heat shields

[Brian Harvey]

The Chinese published a detailed description of their FSW heat shields 
in the 1980s - the main element being  molybdenum alloys and other 
composite materials- but no mention of oak or wood.

There was a western wire story at the time (11th February 1996, also 
partially traced to Spaceflight News (October 1988)) that the FSWs used 
'tourist film' and had heat shields 'made of wooden planks'.  My 
interpretation is that either it was a poor translation or a ridiculing 
of the alleged primitiveness of the FSW.

Brian Harvey
Dublin, Ireland