For what it's worth, cork is also a large component of heat ablation shields - my understand is that it's at the sweet spot of insulation and machinability/flex

For what it's worth, cork is also a large component of heat ablation shields - my understand is that it's at the sweet spot of insulation and machinability/flexibility. Processed cork is a surprisingly technical material. (https://amorimcorksolutions.com/en-us/our-brands/amorim-tps/ https://amorimcorksolutions.com/en-us/our-brands/amorim-tps/)