Artemis Program · AI Safety · Ars Technica
It turns out that Orion's much-maligned heat shield performed really well
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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.
Key facts
- According to Hill, the new reentry profile reduced the vehicle’s “downrange” capability from 4,800 nautical miles to 1,775 miles
- After the Artemis the reporter mission in 2022, there were more than 100 char loss sites observed across the dish-shaped heat shield at the base of Orion, some of which were more than an inch deep
- The crew of Artemis II, led by commander Reid Wiseman, safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a triumphant trip around the Moon
- The panel also lauded Isaacman for moving quickly, after becoming administrator in December 2025, to acknowledge some of NASA’s own failings during the troubled Starliner mission to the International
Summary
The ablative heat shield, designed to char upon reentry while keeping the crew safe, had experienced unexpected losses of large chunks during a test flight in late 2022. Obviously, the heat shield worked. During a meeting of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel this week, its members had an opportunity to review NASA’s findings during a visit to the Ames Research Center in California. After the Artemis the reporter mission in 2022, there were more than 100 char loss sites observed across the dish-shaped heat shield at the base of Orion, some of which were more than an inch deep.