As NASA prepares to send astronauts to the moon as part of its upcoming Artemis 2 mission, the space agency still needs to address its Orion space problems, a new report says. There are lingering issues with the cabin that could jeopardize the safety of the crew on board.
NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a Report On Wednesday, the agency reviewed the space agency’s readiness to send astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft in September 2025. spacecraft heat shield and other hardware components, all of which are in Unmanned Artemis 1 mission Late 2022.
“The Artemis 1 test flight revealed key issues that need to be addressed before placing a crew on the Artemis 2 mission,” the report reads. “In particular, the test flight revealed the Orion heat shield, There were anomalies in the separation bolts and electrical distribution, posing a significant risk to the safety of the crew.”
The most significant issue relates to Orion’s heat shield.We’re already This issue has been discussed before, but this has indeed become a major problem for the space agency. During Orion’s reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft traveled at speeds of 24,600 miles per hour (39,590 kilometers per hour) and its heat shield withstood temperatures in excess of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.This is Fastest speed Any human-class spacecraft has returned to Earth.
Although NASA engineers expected some scorching to occur, the report shows NASA found more than 100 locations where protective material from Orion’s heat shield accidentally fell off during re-entry.
“Parts of the charcoal layer wore differently than NASA engineers predicted, and the spacecraft ruptured and broke into pieces, creating a debris trail, rather than melting as designed,” the report reads. The inspector general added that the heat shield’s Performance poses “the risk that the heat shield may not adequately protect the capsule systems and crew from extreme temperatures during re-entry on future missions.”
NASA is working to solve the problem by replacing heat shield components or changing Orion’s reentry trajectory. At the end of 2023, the space agency stated that It expects to solve the heat shield problem By the end of this spring.
The report also addressed an issue with the crew module separation bolt, which revealed “unintended melting and erosion that created a gap that resulted in increased heat inside the bolt.” Add additional thermal protective barrier material to mitigate this problem.
Following Artemis 1, NASA also recorded 24 power distribution anomalies in the Orion power system. NASA determined that the power distribution issue was caused by radiation and is developing software changes for the Artemis 2 mission. However, the report warns, “Without a permanent hardware fix, there is an increased risk that further power distribution anomalies could result in loss of redundancy, insufficient power, and potential loss of vehicle propulsion and pressurization.”
NASA wasn’t too happy with the inspector general’s audit and wrote a rather swift response to ensure the space agency had addressed the recommendations cited in the report. “Conducting reviews during the development process presents several challenges, including disruption to ongoing workflows and priorities,” the space agency wrote. “NASA is concerned that the tone of the report may suggest that the OIG had identified the risks discussed, when in fact NASA had addressed all recommendations through proactive risk-based disposition prior to the audit.”
OK, we heard you. NASA appears to have the situation under control.
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