Artemis II astronauts described their re-entry into Earth's atmosphere as smooth but noted some charring on Orion’s heat shield. The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean last Friday after a nearly 10-day mission around the moon, reaching the farthest distance any humans have traveled from Earth.
Key Takeaways
Artemis II astronauts described their re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere as smooth but noted some charring on Orion’s heat shield. The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a nearly 10-day mission around the moon, reaching the farthest distance any humans have traveled from Earth.
The four Artemis II astronauts—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—completed their historic flight by splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The Orion capsule reached speeds of roughly 32 times the speed of sound during re-entry, a critical test for the Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft before its planned use in future missions.
Wiseman reported seeing minor charring on the heat shield's edge, which protects the crew from temperatures up to 2,760°C. This follows concerns from the uncrewed Artemis I mission where Orion’s heat shield sustained unexpected damage. Nasa adjusted the re-entry angle for Artemis II to reduce heat exposure.
The astronauts also shared profound experiences during their journey, including witnessing a solar eclipse and viewing Earth from deep space. Wiseman described the mission as 'otherworldly' and emotionally intense, even breaking down in tears upon seeing a cross on the Navy chaplain's collar after splashdown.
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