{"id":225692,"date":"2026-04-10T01:34:39","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T01:34:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/225692\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T01:34:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T01:34:39","slug":"all-eyes-on-orion-heat-shield-ahead-of-artemis-ii-landing-orlando-sentinel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/225692\/","title":{"rendered":"All eyes on Orion heat shield ahead of Artemis II landing \u2013 Orlando Sentinel"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Orion spacecraft returned from its first lunar trip on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, it suffered major damage to the spacecraft\u2019s heat shield coating. That raised the crew safety alarm for Artemis II and ultimately was among the reasons it was delayed until 2026.<\/p>\n

Decisions about the heat shield made since then, though, will be put the test as NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch along with Jeremy Hansen are headed for a splashdown return at 8:07 p.m. EDT Friday off the coast of San Diego in the Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe exterior of the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission en route to the moon on April 3, 2026. (NASA)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve actually been thinking about entry since April 3, 2023 when we got assigned to this mission, and one of the first press conferences, we were asked, What are we looking forward to? And I said, \u2018Splashdown,’\u201d said Glover during a space-to-ground call late Wednesday. \u201cThere\u2019s so much data that you\u2019ve seen already, but all the good stuff is coming back with us. There\u2019s so many more pictures, so many more stories, and, gosh, I haven\u2019t even begun to process what we\u2019ve been through.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve still got two more days, and riding a fireball through the atmosphere is profound as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft is pictured here from one of the cameras mounted on its solar array wings on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft is pictured here from one of the cameras mounted on its solar array wings on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft is pictured here from one of the cameras mounted on its solar array wings on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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The engines on the Orion spacecraft\u2019s service module are prominently featured in this image from flight day six of the Artemis II mission. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft is pictured here from one of the cameras mounted on its solar array wings on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. The service module is prominently featured in this image showing a portion of the orbital maneuvering system engine and three of eight auxiliary thrusters. Also pictured is one of the four solar array wings. Each of Orion\u2019s four solar array wings are made of three panels that provide enough electricity to power two three-bedroom homes. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft is pictured here from one of the cameras mounted on its solar array wings on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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Completing a nearly 600,000-mile journey<\/a> since launching from Kennedy Space Center<\/a> on April 1 on a 10-day lunar fly-by mission, the quartet will be coming in fast and hot, hitting close to 24,000 mph and enduring temperatures close to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.<\/p>\n

Pictures: NASA releases Artemis II moon images<\/a><\/p>\n

In comparison, the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsules that only have to return from the International Space Station, orbiting around 250 miles above Earth, only hit 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit and speeds of 17,500 mph.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrion systems are operating, nominally, remain healthy, and we are just trekking our way home from the moon,\u201d said Debbie Korth, Orion\u2019s deputy program manager.<\/p>\n

The trip back will be quick, taking only about 13 minutes. That will happen after the crew module separates from the service module, which has been its primary source of propulsion this past week. It also has been the covering and protection of the heat shield the entire mission.<\/p>\n

Korth said teams did a new external survey and compared it to one done early in the mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo issues seen that would make us have any pause for the reentry phase,\u201d she said. \u201cEverything is in excellent condition for that entry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Artemis II crew \u2013 (clockwise from left) mission specialist Christina Koch, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, commander Reid Wiseman, and pilot Victor Glover \u2013 pause for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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The Artemis II crew \u2013 (clockwise from left) mission specialist Christina Koch, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, commander Reid Wiseman, and pilot Victor Glover \u2013 pause for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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The Artemis II crew \u2013 (clockwise from left) mission specialist Christina Koch, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, commander Reid Wiseman, and pilot Victor Glover \u2013 pause for a group photo with their zero gravity indicator “Rise,” inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10.(Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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The Artemis II crew \u2013 (clockwise from left) mission specialist Christina Koch, mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, commander Reid Wiseman, and pilot Victor Glover \u2013 pause for a group photo inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. (Courtesy\/NASA)<\/p>\n

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While the service module falls away to burn up on re-entry over the Pacific, Orion\u2019s crew module will begin its direct path at 400,000 feet altitude, about 1,900 miles shy of its splashdown site .<\/p>\n

About 24 seconds after its final descent, Orion will go out of contact with mission control for about six minutes as plasma builds up around the spacecraft. At about 22,000 feet, the first two drogue parachutes will deploy that will slow Orion down to about 200 mph. The final deployment of three main parachutes will come at about 6,000 feet and bring Orion down at around 20 mph for splashdown.<\/p>\n

The trajectory should not put too much pressure on the four crew, who NASA said would feel at most 3.9 G\u2019s, although there are contingency emergency reentry plans that could see those forces be as high as 7 G\u2019s. The crew will also be in their orange reentry suits, which have coolant flowing through them to keep them comfortable.<\/p>\n

NASA said Orion won\u2019t beat the speeds seen during the 1968 Apollo 10 mission, which had a reentry speed of 24,816 mph.<\/p>\n

NASA opted to not replace the heat shield for Artemis II, but change the way the crew comes in. That only came after NASA and Orion\u2019s prime contractor Lockheed Martin figured out what went wrong on Artemis I.<\/p>\n

\"ImagesImages show heat shield char loss post-Artemis I mission, including cavities resulting from the loss of large chunks of the heat shield char during reentry. (Handout\/NASA)<\/p>\n

NASA found more than 100 places<\/a> on the heat shield where what\u2019s known as the char layer, or \u201cablative coating\u201d ended up \u201ccracking and breaking off the spacecraft in fragments that created a trail of debris rather than melting away as designed,\u201d according to a report from NASA\u2019s Office of the Inspector General that came out in 2024.<\/p>\n

That report, published nearly 1 1\/2 years after the Artemis I landing, also revealed images for the first time that showed the extent of the damage, including fist-sized chunks of the layer carved away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was concerning, because it wasn\u2019t the condition that was expected,\u201d Tim Otterson, a NASA engineer who works on Orion\u2019s crew service module. \u201cWe knew that there was something going on that we didn\u2019t understand. And so from that standpoint, we knew we were going to have to dig into it. Your mind goes to the extent of what this could be. But you know, really, we need to step back and let the investigation team get into it and let the data speak for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was not until December 2024 that NASA announced its path forward<\/a>. Teams unanimously approved sticking with the hardware for Artemis II and only adjusting the reentry trajectory, instead of replacing the heat shield.<\/p>\n

When Orion descended using a method of skipping in and out of the atmosphere to reduce speed, NASA thinks that caused the unexpected heat shield damage.<\/p>\n

Otterson, who has been working on Orion since 2010 when it was still part of the canceled Constellation program, has faith it will bring the astronauts home safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeeling very good about it. \u2026 The work the team has done, the testing that we\u2019ve done on the ground, has been incredible. I\u2019ve never seen an investigation go so deep and so thorough and almost to the point where, really, we let the data drive where this investigation went.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that the root cause came down to simple physics, and while the dipping in and out of the atmosphere to slow down seemed like a safer approach, coming in on a straight shot really solved that problem. That approach allowed gasses to build up within the coating, which was by design not permeable, so they could not escape.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel we\u2019ve established an entry profile that\u2019s going to minimize, if not eliminate, that issue,\u201d he said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t speed of entry, because actually, if you were to do ballistic, you would never see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teams working the issue did not do it in a human vacuum either. The Artemis astronauts were involved as it progressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe absolutely had conversations with them throughout the whole investigation, keeping them abreast of where we were,\u201d he said. \u201cWe absolutely took their input. It\u2019s very important. But like I said, the investigation throughout was really technically data-driven, but you always want to hear from your crew.\u201d<\/p>\n

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at the time stated that if they had opted to change the heat shield for Artemis II, it would have delayed its launch for another year, and it had already slipped several times from an original launch plan.<\/p>\n

The Artemis III mission\u2019s Orion capsule, meanwhile, will be getting a new heat shield, but Otterson says it\u2019s not like starting from scratch.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me it\u2019s just a tweaking of the recipe. It\u2019s not like I\u2019ve thrown out the full recipe and I\u2019ve got all new ingredients,\u201d he said. \u201cWe really tightened up some of the specifics of the recipe to not allow as much variability in some of the core ingredients, and in tightening it, we were within the current spec for it, so it\u2019s not a full departure from it. So to me, it\u2019s more of a refining the recipe versus an entirely new recipe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Artemis III, though, will not be traveling to the moon, but instead will do a low-Earth orbit test that looks to have Orion hook up with one or both of the two lunar landers being developed. So it may not face as harsh a reentry.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t be until Artemis IV that the new heat shield will get the full test.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking to have both our ground testing and Artemis III to show that the new recipe is meeting our performance requirements,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd clearly, if that\u2019s the case, then you know, there shouldn\u2019t be a reason to change going forward. But I would never say never.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When the Orion spacecraft returned from its first lunar trip on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":225693,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[16924,114,11969,115,139,141,140,554,109,76686,1769],"class_list":["post-225692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-artemis","tag-latest-headlines","tag-nasa","tag-news","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news","tag-science","tag-social","tag-social-business","tag-space"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=225692"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/225692\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/225693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=225692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=225692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=225692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}