LantanaTX, I think it's ironic that my car's brakes are being replaced as we speak with Rotex Gold (that I purchased several months ago for over $100 for all four). I may have looked into the ceramic pads after reading this thread if I hadn't already purchased the Rotex Gold.
It's like they say, "Timing is everything".

To answer your question about the Space Shuttle, make mine ceramic tiles thank you very much.
And if NASA would just start thinking out side the "box", they would eventually come to the conclusion that "Bird Crap" is the answer to all their tile adhesion problems. Nothing sticks better.