NASA's Orion lunar capsule was severely damaged during a test run in 2022

He Heat shield of the spacecraft OrionIt is destined to carry astronauts one day the moon Within the framework of the project Artemis of PotAccording to an observatory report released late Wednesday, May 1, 2024, more than 100 unexpected damage occurred when the spacecraft returned to Earth during an uncrewed test mission in 2022.

Although the capsule endured the fiery roar of the comebackWhen the temperature reached 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, it hit the atmosphere at 25,000 miles per hour, and the damage to the heat shield was far greater than NASA engineers realized. Pot Expected and more intense Pot As previously revealed. Photos of the heat shield in the report show teeth that look like little pits.

“If the same problem occurs in future missions ArtemisMay result in loss of vehicle or personnel,” concluded the report prepared by the Inspector General. Pot.

Earlier this year, the Pot announced the next flight of its lunar program ArtemisIt will carry a crew of four around the moon at work Artemis IIIt will be delayed until September 2025 as officials want to study the issue further Heat shield Please understand Why is it so itchy?.

The statement I.G. Provides the most comprehensive description of the problem to date. They also point to other issues with the spacecraft that could pose significant challenges for the space agency as it tries to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.

According to the report, parts of the heat shield “were wearing differently than company engineers expected.” Pot, cracked and broke apart from the ship, creating debris instead of melting as planned. That, in turn, “may have caused enough structural damage that one of the parachutes failed.” Orion”.

At that time, the plane Artemis I It was hailed as a major victory that puts the space agency back on track for humans the moon. Administrator of Pot, Bill NelsonIn recent testimony before a congressional committee, the space agency continues to believe that a human landing on the planet is possible. the moon By the end of 2026.

But the statement I.G. ’s optimistic original assessment calls both into question Pot test flight and the probability of landing on the moon within that period. In addition to itching Orion heat shieldwho did Lockheed MartinHe I.G. Several crew module bolts “experienced an exposed gap that allowed the bolt interior to overheat and cause more melting and corrosion than expected.”

Officers' plans Pot Attempts to retrieve the capsule's hardware, including its three parachutes, were also thwarted, the report said. “Rescue crews were unable to reach the landing site before the ejecta sank Pacific Ocean” says the report. “Although pre-flight analysis indicated sufficient chance of flotation for rescue forces to arrive in time, the hardware sank faster than expected.”

The report also said that it is a powerful rocket Space Launch SystemIt loaded Orion, caused significant damage to ground equipment, including blowing out the elevator doors in the mobile launch tower. He I.G. He said that Pot It took six weeks to get one lift back into operation and about four months to repair the second.

“Major repairs to the missile tower cost more than $26 million, roughly 5 times the $5 million” Pot According to the report, such jobs are reserved.

Catherine KornerAssociate Administrator Pot For the direction of research systems development work, the report said I.G. Supports the purpose of flight Artemis IIt was to test how it behaved Orion In space with no one on board. In this regard, he said in a statement Pot The report has already addressed the issues raised before its publication.

“The Pot I hope to find and solve problems earlier Artemis II“, wrote. “This process of identifying and addressing engineering challenges is a natural part of the design-test-repair process.” Pot In the tone of the report, the Inspector General is concerned that the risks discussed may be identified when, in fact, all recommendations are already being addressed by Pot Through forward risk based arrangement before audit.

He further said, “The Pot Significant progress continues to be made in assessing the root cause of coal losses Heat shield.”

The Pot A team has been formed to investigate the corrosion pattern in Heat shield And Why did it behave differently than expected? by its engineers. At this time, no conclusion has been reached because “ground tests cannot reproduce the exact temperature and speed conditions encountered by the aircraft.” Heat shield During the comeback.”

“Engineers are simultaneously exploring ways to reduce carbon loss. Heat shield or changing the re-entry route Orion” says the report. Orion It performs what is called a skip entry, where it plunges into the atmosphere and slows down, exits, and re-enters.

The Heat shields is a component A life of spaceshipsDesigned to protect the crew during one of the most dangerous parts of a space flight: the capsule, as it returns from space, collides with the increasingly dense atmosphere surrounding Earth, generating enormous temperatures.

In 2003, the space shuttle Colombia After a foam hit the wing's leading edge and caused a breach in the thermal protection system, it disintegrated, killing all seven crew members.

In January, it announced delays Artemis, James is freeAssociate Administrator PotThat said, the company is in no rush to launch Artemis IIIt will send astronauts NASA Reed Wiseman, Christina Koch And Victor GloverAs well as Canadian Jeremy HansenA 10 day trip around the moon.

“As we prepare to send our friends and colleagues on this mission, we are committed to launching as safely as possible,” he said. Free. “We'll start when we're ready.”

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