Coming home may be the most dangerous part of Artemis II
Indian Express·2h ago·Fear
What Happened
NASA says Artemis II astronauts will safely return to Earth Friday after a 10-day lunar mission, despite known heat shield defects. The protective layer, made of Avcoat material, showed unexpected damage during the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022. Former NASA astronaut Charlie Camarda estimates a 1-in-20 failure risk, far higher than commercial aviation standards. NASA officials claim extensive testing and reentry path modifications provide significant safety margins. The four-person crew is aware of risks.
Key Entities
NASAArtemis IICharlie CamardaJared IsaacmanHeat ShieldAvcoatReid WisemanArtemis I