Artemis Astronauts Describe Charring On Heat Shield During Fiery Return To Earth
NASA's Artemis II astronauts described their re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as smooth, but noted some charring on the Orion capsule's heat shield. The mission was a crucial test of the capsule before its next use in a pre-lunar landing flight.
NASA's Artemis II astronauts returned to Earth after a historic mission around the Moon. The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, capping a nearly 10-day test flight. During re-entry, the Orion capsule reached speeds of around Mach 32, testing its heat shield's ability to withstand temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Mission commander Reid Wiseman reported some charring on the heat shield's edge. NASA engineers will analyze data from the flight to assess the capsule's performance. The heat shield performed better than in the 2022 Artemis I uncrewed mission, which sustained more damage than expected.
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