NASA review wey come out October 15 say Orion heat shield perform as engineers expect when four people return from Moon for Artemis II. The spacecraft land inside sea on April 10. This new report concern examination after flight, no be another journey.
When Orion enter atmosphere at about 39 times speed of sound, heat outside the shield pass 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA say cabin temperature remain for middle of 70s Fahrenheit. That difference show how much protection separate hot outside from where crew dey.
Engineers change the return path after dem investigate unexpected loss of burnt shield material for Artemis I, wey carry no crew. The new path reduce time inside temperature range wey connect with that problem, while shield still protect capsule during descent.
Inspection after flight find nine places where char material comot, compared with 103 after Artemis I. NASA describe the reduction as about ten times. These figures describe two particular flights; dem no mean say every future shield must perform exactly like this.
The examination no stop for photographs. After first checks for Kennedy, dem carry shield go Marshall for further testing. Teams use X-ray to look inside and examine samples. Laser measurements also help compare thermal protection before flight and after return.
The findings go help later Orion vehicles, including changes to how gas fit pass through Avcoat material. Engineers still dey analyse evidence because heating, pressure and flight path work together. Artemis II give dem real flight measurements wey laboratory tests alone no fit supply.