NASA Delays Artemis Moon Missions Amid Heatshield Concerns
Originally Published 1 year ago — by The Register
NASA has concluded that the cracks found in the Orion module's heatshield from the Artemis Mission were due to trapped gases caused by the skip guidance re-entry technique. By altering the re-entry method, the spacecraft will be safe for crewed flights without redesigning the heatshield. Consequently, the Artemis II and III missions have been delayed to April 2026 and mid-2027, respectively, to address other system improvements. The heatshield's thermal performance exceeded expectations, ensuring crew safety during re-entry.