It turns out that Orion's much-maligned heat shield performed really well
NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel confirmed that the Orion spacecraft's heat shield performed exceptionally well during the Artemis II mission. Despite previous concerns regarding char loss, the shield showed minimal damage compared to the Artemis I test flight.
Why it matters
This validates the safety of the Orion design for future crewed lunar missions, marking a successful milestone for the Artemis program.
A happy ASAP It turns out that Orion’s much-maligned heat shield performed really well Independent safety officials also have high praise for changes by NASA leadership.
35 Shortly after Artemis II splashdown on Friday, April 10, 2026, US Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. Credit: US Navy Shortly after Artemis II splashdown on Friday, April 10, 2026, US Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. Credit: US Navy Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav Perhaps the biggest question going into the Artemis II mission this spring was how the heat shield at the base of the spacecraft would perform during reentry through Earth’s atmosphere.
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