NASA Delays Artemis Moon Missions Amid Heatshield Concerns
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.