"NASA Investigates Orion Hatch Design Flaws"

NASA is investigating issues with the design of the side hatch of the Orion spacecraft, which could impact crew ability to open the hatch in contingency operations on the launch pad or after splashdown. The agency is conducting testing to ensure the hatch can be opened in various pressure scenarios. Additionally, NASA is studying greater-than-expected erosion of heat shield material during Orion's reentry on the Artemis 1 mission, which has led to the delay of the first crewed Orion mission to no earlier than September 2025.