NASA's Orion Heat Shield: A Barrier to the Next Moon Mission
NASA's Artemis 2 mission, which is scheduled for launch in November 2024 and will carry a crew, may be delayed due to a lingering issue with the Orion spacecraft's heat shield. NASA is still studying the performance of the heat shield and is open to making changes or replacing components to resolve the problem. The space agency expects to have a resolution on the heat shield erosion by late spring next year. The crew has made it clear that they will not launch until they are confident the vehicle is ready.