This sample Space Shuttle tile (4 x 1 x .5 inches) was given out to VIPs and others before the first Shuttle flight, STS-1, in April 1981.        Each of the Space Shuttles are covered in about 25,000 black and white tiles (though many of the white version have been replaced with better white thermal blankets over the years) which protect the vehicle from the extreme heat of reentry, which can be as high as nearly 2300 degrees F.        The tiles are extremely lightweight, and are made up of white silica fibers and coated in a special durable black (or white) shell on the outside.