NASA’s investigation into damage on the Orion module’s heatshield has concluded that cracks won’t pose a risk to the crew during the Artemis II mission. The spacecraft’s re-entry technique, which uses a “skip guidance entry” method, caused trapped gas to accumulate inside the shield’s outer material, leading to cracking.
The cracks were found to be due to the inability of the Avcoat material to vent and dissipate heat as expected. However, NASA determined that this won’t affect the crew during re-entry, as the cabin temperature remained stable at mid-70s Fahrenheit (around 24° C).
NASA’s findings have led to a seven-month delay in the Artemis II mission and changes to the spacecraft’s re-entry approach. The new target launch dates are set for April 2026 and mid-2027. Additionally, NASA is addressing environmental control and life support systems issues.
The investigation involved over 100 tests at different facilities, including the Arc Jet facilities at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California. Researchers replicated the effects of Orion’s entry into the atmosphere on Avcoat material to identify the cause of damage. The “skip guidance entry” technique was found to be the major cause of the trapped gas.
NASA deputy associate administrator Amit Kshatriya stated that the heat shield investigations help ensure a full understanding of the issue and risk, and that the Artemis I mission provided valuable testing for future crewed missions.
Source: https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/06/nasa_orion_heatshield_investigation