[computermechanic]

Real tile floats.

I thought that it should, I guess this would make for a simple basic test for shuttle tiles.

[snopercod]

Looking again at the pic you posted, the black coating is too thick, and looks more like plastic. The black coating on tiles is only a few thousands of an inch thick, and is extremely brittle. You can break it with your fingernail, strangely enough.

The scratch marks on that piece don't look right, either.

If you want, I can put you in contact with a former shuttle guy who lives in...what the heck is it...Twain Harte, CA (or something) if you live near there.

Nobody has ever found the pieces of STS-107 which were seen by astronomers to fall off over California. I hope somebody, someday, finds them.