NASA Exhibits Unusual Crypticity Regarding the Malfunction of Orion's Thermal Protection System
NASA has pinpointed the reason behind the Orion spacecraft's heat shield erosion during its groundbreaking trip to the Moon in 2022, but the space agency is keeping this information under wraps for now.
At the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) gathering in Houston, NASA representatives disclosed that they had identified the cause of Orion's heat shield chipping during the Artemis 1 mission, but they weren't prepared to share the details just yet. Lori Glaze, the acting deputy associate administrator at NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, mentioned during the meeting on Monday that they have a definitive explanation for the issue but chose to withhold it for now. "We've got our fingers on the pulse of what the underlying problem is," Glaze stated during the SpaceNews-reported meeting. "I'm not going to break it out right now, but when it's time, we'll release everything at once."
NASA is still deliberating its plan for the Artemis 2 mission, which is slated for September 2025 launches, according to Glaze. The space agency is conducting additional tests to tackle Orion's capsule erosion dilemma during atmospheric reentry, which is expected to be completed by the end of November.
An uncrewed Orion capsule made a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2022, after a 26-day expedition to the Moon and back as part of the Artemis 1 mission. The mission was deemed successful, but post-mission inspections revealed unanticipated performance from Orion's heat shield.
During Orion's passage through Earth's atmosphere, the spacecraft rocketed at speeds of 24,600 miles per hour (39,590 kilometers per hour) while its heat shield endured temperatures far surpassing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA engineers had presumed that some charring would occur, but more of the shield's ablative material came off than anticipated.
Since then, NASA continues to analyze Orion's spacecraft to figure out the source of the unexpected damage. As the space agency prepares to send a four-astronaut crew aboard Orion for the Artemis 2 mission, it is crucial to resolve any potential issues that could pose a risk to the crew's safety.
Earlier in May, the NASA Office of Inspector General issued a report to assess NASA's readiness for its Artemis 2 mission, highlighting Orion's heat shield as one of the critical issues that required resolution before the Moon expedition. "Portions of the char layer peeled off differently than NASA engineers anticipated, cracking and detaching the spacecraft into fragments that generated a trail of debris instead of melting away as planned," the report pointed out.
The report suggested that the heat shield's performance presented a "risk that the heat shield may not adequately safeguard the capsule's systems and crew from the intense heat of reentry in future missions." In response, NASA stated that it was working on resolving the issue either by swapping out heat shield components or modifying Orion's reentry trajectory.
Based on NASA officials' recent statements, it appears that they haven't yet resolved a clear course of action. The heat shield for Orion designed for Artemis 2 has already been installed at the bottom of the crew capsule, making any component swaps a formidable challenge. "We know what improvements are essential for future missions, but the Artemis 2 heat shield has already been constructed. So, how can we assure astronaut safety with Artemis 2?," Glaze said during the meeting, according to SpaceNews.
At a press conference in August 2023, NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the Artemis 2 mission, stated: "This crew will not launch until we're confident we're prepared. Until our team is convinced that the vehicle is ready, we'll keep pushing the envelope."
It remains unclear why NASA is withholding the information, but the fact that space agency officials are not yet prepared to reveal the news suggests it might be quite serious, potentially necessitating a delay to the Artemis program to guarantee the crew's safety.
NASA has already pushed back its Artemis timeline to address safety and technical concerns related to the spacecraft. The Artemis 2 mission, initially scheduled for November 2024, has been postponed, and the following Artemis 3 mission, originally scheduled for late 2025, will not launch before September 2026.
The lingering heat shield issue casts doubt on NASA's preparedness to transport a four-astronaut crew to the Moon and back within a year.
The discovery of Orion's heat shield issue in 2022 has highlighted the importance of future advancements in space technology and science. NASA is currently conducting additional tests to mitigate any risks, with Glaze mentioning that they have a solution in mind but prefer to reveal it all at once for clarity.
As we look towards the future of moon exploration, tackling challenges like Orion's heat shield erosion will require significant leaps in understanding and innovation within the realm of space technology.
