NASA’s crew capsule had heat shield issues during Artemis I − an aerospace expert on these critical spacecraft components
- Written by Marcos Fernandez Tous, Assistant Professor of Space Studies, University of North Dakota
Off the coast of Baja California in December 2022, sun sparkled over the rippling sea as waves sloshed around the USS Portland dock ship. Navy officials on the deck scrutinized the sky in search of a sign. The glow appeared suddenly.
A tiny spot at first, it gradually grew to a round circle falling at a great speed from the fringes of space. It...