On Sunday, April 9 – a 6-inch square black thermal tile designed for the Space Shuttle was reportedly stolen from the Shuttle Atlantis’ display exhibit at NASA Kennedy Space Centre.
According to Popular Mechanics, freelance photographer Brandon Thonen who has worked on projects at NASA Kennedy before, said, “It was never used on a shuttle, it was just for training purposes.”
The tile which is encased in plexiglass (serial number: VT70-19), is essentially used at Kennedy Space Centre for educational purposes. In case, the tile with a similar description turns up on eBay or any other platform for sale, it will be treated with suspicious and will be immediately reported to authorities.
NASA docent Jean Wright, who was present at the exhibit when the tile was stolen, took to Facebook to share her experience:
I had a somewhat traumatizing experience at the Atlantis exhibit today! I wasn't even up there for 10 mins. when someone STOLE one of my shuttle tiles! I had it on our upper shelf behind the cart where it's a bit difficult to reach it. I was about 10ft. away and every now and then looking at it while I was talking to guests. I noticed a large crowd surrounding the cart, and scurried back. I 'footprint' everything I have there; and immediately noticed it was gone!
