"In terms of what keeps me up at night, my blood pressure will be elevated until they're under parachutes in the water. There is no plan B there. That is the thermal protection system. The heat shield has to work."
"NASA's investigation found that Artemis I lost chunks of its heat shield, raising concerns about the thermal protection system's reliability during the critical re-entry phase."
The Artemis II mission is nearing its conclusion with a critical hypersonic re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The Orion module will detach its service module and face extreme conditions at 25,000 mph. A three-inch heat shield must withstand temperatures of 2,760°C during re-entry, creating a plasma layer that blocks communication. After surviving this phase, parachutes will deploy to slow the capsule for a Pacific Ocean splashdown. NASA officials emphasize the lack of a backup plan if the heat shield fails, heightening the mission's risks.
Read at Mail Online
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