A Thermal Window for the US Space Shuttle on a Custom Stand Designed by Jony Ive and Marc Newson

Jony and Marc's passion for space exploration (whether eral or fantasy) is reflected in the Zvezda space suit (LOT 19), but it reaches its most abstract incarnation through this window manufactured for the US Space Shuttle. Here, their interest was captured by the purity of the material: the Corning Code 7980 fused silica glass was chosen for the Space Shuttle because it has a low thermal expansion rate, a high resistance to heat shock, and can withstand operating temperatures up to 1200 degrees centigrade. Corning Incorporated supplied all the windows for the NASA Space Shuttle program because of the company's astonishing history of innovation and perfection. For Jony and Marc, this wondrous object transcends its original purpose: the pair has designed a custom and seamless aluminium stand for the window so that it can be displayed as a sculptural object in its own right.