NASA confirms Orion heat shield readiness for Artemis II mission in 2026
arstechnica.com — December 6, 2024, 03:02 AM UTC
NASA has confirmed that the heat shield for the Orion spacecraft is ready for the Artemis II mission, set to launch in April 2026. An investigation revealed that heat buildup during the Artemis I mission caused cracking in the heat shield. To address this, NASA will modify the reentry trajectory for Artemis II, reducing the time spent in conditions that led to the previous issues. The new plan limits the downrange distance during reentry to 1,775 nautical miles, compared to over 3,000 nautical miles for Artemis I. Future Orion missions will also see changes to improve the heat shield's performance. NASA and Lockheed Martin will work together to enhance the material's permeability to prevent similar problems in upcoming flights.