On December 5, NASA held a press conference about the Artemis program. The aerospace administration shared the results of its investigation into the Orion spacecraft heat shield anomaly, and also gave a new timeline for the return of humans to the Moon.
Orion’s heat shield
A significant part of the press conference was devoted to Orion’s thermal protection. Recall that after the return to Earth of the spacecraft capsule involved in the Artemis II mission, it was found that the ablative heat shield had experienced more material loss than expected. During its post-flight inspection, engineers found cracks and cavities.
To determine the causes of this anomaly, NASA specialists conducted an extensive investigation. It included more than a hundred different tests. The investigation revealed that the heat shield was not allowing enough gases formed inside the material called Avcoat to escape, causing parts of the material to crack and break off. Despite this, the temperature inside Orion remained comfortable and safe with a crew on board.
In the end, the experts decided not to change the shield already installed on the spacecraft that would be involved in the Artemis II mission. Changes will be made to the design of the shields that will be involved in future missions to the Moon. NASA stresses that the shield designed for Artemis II will do its task and ensure the safe return of the four astronauts to Earth.
Postponement of Artemis II and Artemis III missions
Another topic raised was the timing of the Artemis II and Artemis III missions. As expected, NASA announced their postponement. Artemis II flight moved from September 2025 to April 2026. Artemis III flight — from September 2026 to mid-2027.
It was absolutely the expected decision. The Artemis program has encountered a number of delays, ranging from unprepared lunar spacesuits to the need to repair the mobile launch platform for the SLS rocket. SpaceX also needs to do a lot more work to put the Starship into operation, without which the landing of American astronauts on the Moon is not feasible.
NASA also said it had begun assembling the SLS rocket that would be used for the Artemis II mission. The announcement occurred amid rumors that its project would soon be shut down due to excessive cost and constant delays. So it may indicate that the SLS will still be utilized for some lunar missions. Preparing a replacement for the rocket will take time and at the current stage could further delay the return of humans to the Moon.
At the same time, we should not forget that Jared Isaacman will soon take over as NASA administrator. He may have completely different ideas about the Artemis program and how best to achieve its objectives.
Provided by NASA
