Artemis II Faces Heat Shield Flaw and Astronaut Stress Challenges

NASA is preparing for the Artemis II mission, part of the Artemis series designed to send astronauts to the lunar surface. Preparations for Artemis II have identified several challenges.

Technical Hurdles: Orion Heat Shield

The Artemis II Orion spacecraft was found to have a potential flaw involving char loss on its heat shield. This issue was initially observed during the Artemis I mission.

NASA is adjusting the reentry trajectory to mitigate this potential heat shield flaw.

Astronaut Endurance: Spacesuits and Physical Strain

New spacesuits for the mission are reported to be heavier and bulkier compared to those used during the Apollo missions. Former astronauts have indicated that lunar surface operations impose significant physical stress on astronauts.

Former astronaut Kate Rubins, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, stated that moonwalks elevate physical stress. Contributing factors include sleep shifting, which reduces rest, and wearing spacesuits for up to nine hours while performing daily extravehicular activities (EVAs).

Rubins compared spacewalks outside the International Space Station to "performing multiple marathons consecutively," highlighting the intense physical demands on astronauts.