So crazy is the speed at which they come soaring back to planet Earth. 

1 hour ago, theguru said:

I didn't know this but there is an issue with the heat shield on Artemis II.  The heat shield on Artemis I was damaged during reentry so Artemis II is going to reenter Earth's atmosphere at a steeper angle so that it is exposed to less heat.  Reading through an article on it, it is not ideal, it is not a long term solution, NASA already installed the heat shield on Artemis II before they knew about the problem on Artemis I, but NASA is confident the steeper decent will mitigate the issue and it is safe for the crew.  

Yes and no. The heat shield is called an ablative heat shield, which means it is designed to lose tiles. Artemis I did lose tiles, but it would have been a safe reentry if astronauts had been on board. This deeper descent is meant to protect those areas where tiles came off at a higher than expected rate.

8 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Yes and no. The heat shield is called an ablative heat shield, which means it is designed to lose tiles. Artemis I did lose tiles, but it would have been a safe reentry if astronauts had been on board. This deeper descent is meant to protect those areas where tiles came off at a higher than expected rate.

What are you saying no to?

Also from various sources but this is the Google AI summary:

Experts have warned that flatulence from the Artemis II crew poses a safety risk because the methane and hydrogen gases produced are flammable. In the enclosed, oxygen-rich environment of the spacecraft, this gas buildup could potentially lead to fires. The crew has faced toilet issues and must manage waste carefully.

3 hours ago, theguru said:

What are you saying no to?

Some deterioration of the shield is part of the design. It is a one time use shield that burns away during reentry. Not completely of course but it does partially burn away. So some of the Artemis I shield burning away is planned. It just didn't burn away as expected.

Edited April 10Apr 10 by Voice of Reason

Perfect splash down for Artemis II.

From Boone County High School:

? We are incredibly proud to celebrate Dr. Taylor Schlotman (Class of 2009), a Human Performance Engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center supporting Artemis II crew return.
From Boone County High School to the forefront of human spaceflight, we are proud to call her a BCHS graduate—proof that hard work, passion, and perseverance can take you anywhere.
? The sky truly is the limit.
#BCHSRebels #AlumniPride #Artemis #ReachForTheStars

On 4/10/2026 at 5:44 PM, theguru said:

Also from various sources but this is the Google AI summary:

Experts have warned that flatulence from the Artemis II crew poses a safety risk because the methane and hydrogen gases produced are flammable. In the enclosed, oxygen-rich environment of the spacecraft, this gas buildup could potentially lead to fires. The crew has faced toilet issues and must manage waste carefully.

Then I would be doomed.