Posted on 12/14/2024 7:40:45 AM PST by Salman
...
Orion's reentry followed a sharply angled trajectory, during which the capsule fell at an incredible speed before deploying three red and white parachutes. As the mission finished its trip of over 270,000 miles (435,000 kilometers), it looked to those on the deck of the USS Portland like the capsule had made it home in a single piece.
As the recovery crew lifted Orion to the carrier's deck, shock waves ruffled across the capsule's surface. That's when crew members started to spot big cracks on Orion's lower surface, where the capsule's exterior bonds to its heat shield.
But why wouldn't a shield that has endured temperatures of about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius) sustain damage? Seems only natural, right?
This mission, Artemis I, was uncrewed. But NASA's ultimate objective is to send humans to the Moon in 2026. So, NASA needed to make sure that any damage to the capsule - even its heat shield, which is meant to take some damage - wouldn't risk the lives of a future crew.
On Dec. 11, 2022 - the time of the Artemis I reentry - this shield took severe damage, which delayed the next two Artemis missions. While engineers are now working to prevent the same issues from happening again, the new launch date targets April 2026, and it is coming up fast.
...
(Excerpt) Read more at spacedaily.com ...
No US moon manned-mission before 2036, at the earliest.
Mr. Musk, please pick up a white courtesy phone.
At this rate, my lifespan will be punctuated by manned lunar landings. I probably won’t make it to see a human touch down on Mars.
The answer has to be duck tape.
“I probably won’t make it to see a human touch down on Mars.”
ITGHO, nobody ever will.
Unavoidable and deadly cosmic radiation outside of the earth-moon system being and remaining the insurmountable obstacle.
‘shock waves ruffled across the capsule’s surface’
What does that mean??
Swiss Cheese Heat Shield
Indeed. That may be the single most nonsensical sentence fragment I’ve seen in a long time.
NASA has become an embarrassing DEI joke. Defund the whole disaster and turn it over to spaceX.
https://www.nasa.gov/odeo/diversity-and-inclusion/
Just glue oven mitts on the thing. Easy peazy.
“shock waves ruffled across the capsule’s surface’
What does that mean??”
I don’t know, but it sure sounds scary!
Funny, the same things killed Star Trek and Star Wars franchises. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.
IF WE DO SEE IT-—MUSK WILL BE THE ONE WHO CREATES IT ALL.
DEI becomes DIE in a zero defect enterprise like space exploration by humans.
A handyman's secret weapon - Red Green
I think if Star Wars were just a curio of the 70’s that somehow made enough to warrant a sequel, James Earl Jones would reprise his role as Darth Vader and Dirk Benedict (or similar) would be Lando Calrissian. And no one would have cared.
Having been born when Buzz bombs were the Thing, I do hope to make it long enough to see the Chinese make it to the Moon because the US will not.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.