Artemis II heat shield concerns eased by redesigned reentry, NASA says safety intact

NASA says Artemis II’s heat-shield issue is under control: after Artemis I revealed char loss in the Avcoat shield, NASA adjusted the reentry profile to a steeper angle and shorter exposure to heat, and independent reviews backed the plan. The Orion capsule’s heat shield is built to erode safely, and engineers concluded the crew can be protected even if parts of the shield underperform. Artemis II will carry four astronauts (Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen) on a crewed lunar flyby with a splashdown in the Pacific, and while some experts remain skeptical, NASA maintains confidence that the root cause has been addressed and safety margins are in place.