NASA watchdog report: 100+ cracks on heat shield biggest threat to human moon mission
The damage to the Orion capsule from the Artemis I mission is already top of mind for NASA as it works to make the Artemis II mission safe for humans. But a new agency report revealed the extent of the problem, including scores of cracks in Orion’s critical heat shield.
The report from NASA’s Office of Inspector General outlined six issues that need NASA’s attention, with the heat shield damage found after the uncrewed Artemis I test mission in late 2022 at the top of the list.
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NASA found more than 100 places on the heat shield where what’s known as the char layer ended up “cracking and breaking off the spacecraft in fragments that created a trail of debris rather than melting away as designed,” the report reads. Images released for the first time in the report showed the extent of the damage.
It notes that the reentry speeds coming in from a lunar trajectory reach nearly 25,000 mph, which is about 40% faster than what astronauts face when returning from low-Earth orbit in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The heat shield has to endure temperatures close to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
“While there was no evidence of impact with the crew module, the quantity and size of the debris could have caused enough structural damage to cause one of Orion’s parachutes to fail,” the report reads. “Should the same issue occur on future Artemis missions, it could lead to the loss of the vehicle or crew.”
“Given the high stakes of the first crewed flight, the agency is working to identify and mitigate any risks and challenges to ensure the safe return of the Artemis II crew and safeguard NASA’s significant investment in Artemis vehicles and systems,” the report reads.
Artemis II is set to be the first crewed mission of Orion, which will launch atop the Space Launch System rocket targeting liftoff from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-B no earlier than September 2025. The test flight with four astronauts will travel to the moon and back without landing. The goal is to show it can fly safely with humans on board.
The report was released on May 1 by independent investigators of NASA missions as a watchdog for mission dangers and cost realities. It states that by the time Artemis II launches, NASA will have spent more than $55 billion on the SLS, Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems programs that include the mobile launcher based at KSC.
The report specifically recommends NASA “ensure the root cause of Orion heat shield char liberation is well understood prior to [the] launch of the Artemis II mission.”
NASA leaders say they are committed to fixing the heat shield but have admitted they might not be able to nail down the root cause for the damage. The report warned that NASA’s plan to consider modifying Orion’s reentry trajectory or redesigning the heat shield can also introduce unknown risks.
