Artemis II is not safe to fly
8 hours ago
- #Artemis Program
- #NASA
- #Space Safety
- NASA's Orion spacecraft heat shield exhibited spalling, large pieces of Avcoat material blowing out during re-entry on the Artemis I mission, leaving deep gouges and holes.
- Bolt erosion in four large separation bolts embedded in the heat shield was observed, with three melting through due to a flawed heating model, risking vehicle breakup.
- NASA initially downplayed the issues, later attributing spalling to insufficient permeability in Avcoat and trapped gas, planning trajectory changes rather than redesign for Artemis II.
- An independent review and internal criticism, notably from astronaut Charles Camarda, highlight safety concerns and flawed modeling, drawing parallels to Columbia and Challenger disasters.
- Despite added Artemis missions reducing rationale for crewed Artemis II, NASA proceeds, driven by schedule pressure, budget constraints, and political goals, risking crew safety.