On June 25, 2023, an important milestone was reached as the heat shield was successfully installed on the Artemis II Orion spacecraft at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The meticulous installation took place inside the high bay of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building.
Measuring 16.5 feet in width, the heat shield plays a crucial role in ensuring the safe return of the astronauts on board.
As the spacecraft prepares to journey back to Earth after its mission around the Moon, it will encounter extraordinary external temperatures of nearly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,700 degrees Celsius) while traveling at speeds of about 25,000 mph.
Fortunately, inside the spacecraft, the astronauts will experience a significantly more comfortable mid-70s temperature, courtesy of Orion's advanced thermal protection system.
Moving forward, the spacecraft will undergo the installation of external panels as it gears up for acoustic testing scheduled for later this summer.
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| Installation of the heat shield for the Artemis II Orion spacecraft was recently completed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Cory Huston |
These rigorous tests will evaluate the crew module's capability to withstand the vibrations it will encounter throughout the entirety of the Artemis II mission, including launch, flight, and landing.
Upon the successful completion of the acoustic testing phase, technicians will proceed to attach the crew module to Orion's service module.
This significant achievement marks a major milestone for the Artemis II mission, which will be the first mission with astronauts under the Artemis program, thoroughly examining and verifying all of Orion's systems required for future crewed missions.