NASA’s detailed analysis confirms that Orion’s heat shield worked as expected when the four Artemis II astronauts returned from the Moon on 10 April 2026. Re-entering at 39 times the speed of sound and above 2,200 °C outside, it showed only nine spots of lost char, against 103 on the uncrewed Artemis I, thanks to a changed re-entry path. The cabin stayed at about 24 °C. The Artemis III heat shield, with more uniform Avcoat blocks, is already installed; that crew, including ESA’s Luca Parmitano, flies to Earth orbit next year before Moon landings start with Artemis IV in 2028. Our take: the biggest technical doubt about Orion is now settled.
9 vs 103char-loss spots, Artemis II vs Artemis I
Mach 39peak re-entry speed
> 2,200 °Coutside temperature at peak