by This capability makes the Arc Jet Test Facility unique in the world, but it still cannot fully replicate the stresses experienced by a spacecraft’s heat shield during re-entry. There are some things that are simply unknowable until you fly, Victor Glover, pilot of the Artemis II mission, said in an interview with Ars earlier this year.
File photo showing arc jet testing of a spacecraft’s heat shield at the Ames Research Center.
Credit: NASA
“What we are doing now is evaluating what is the appropriate approach for Artemis II, regarding the heat shield,” Glaze said Monday. “We know what needs to be done for future missions, but the Artemis II heat shield is already built. So how can we keep astronauts safe with Artemis II?”
This will be the second major human spaceflight safety decision NASA makes this year, following the agency’s choice to conclude the first piloted test flight of Boeing’s commercial crew capsule without its astronauts in the cockpit. Instead, the capsule’s two-person crew remained at the International Space Station after NASA officials became uncomfortable with malfunctions in the Starliner’s propulsion system.
They don’t say
Speaking at a meeting of lunar scientists on Monday, Glaze said NASA wants to do additional testing before making a final decision on what to do with Artemis II. The final decision, she said, will be made by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
“We anticipate that this additional testing will be completed by the end of November, and then we anticipate discussions with the administrator, who will make the final decision on how to proceed,” Glaze said. “I know we all want more information faster, sooner and better. We’re getting it out as quickly as possible, and decisions will be made ahead.”
An attendee at the lunar science meeting in Houston asked Glaze if she could share the root cause of the heat shield’s erosion. “I’m not going to share right now,” she replied. “When this comes out, it will all come out together.”
Ars also asked a NASA spokesperson for details on the root cause. The spokesperson confirmed that the agency had determined the root cause, but declined to identify it, saying the information was “under review” as officials chart a path forward for Artemis II. The spokesperson echoed Hawkins’ statement that NASA would release more information before the end of the year.
