NASA's Artemis 2 Orion 'Integrity' returns with minor scorch marks
NASA's Artemis two mission just pulled off a big win: its Orion capsule, "Integrity," survived a fiery return to Earth on April 10, 2026, with only minor scorch marks, even after facing nearly 5,000 Fahrenheit.
This is a relief after the surprise damage seen on Artemis one's heat shield back in 2022.
NASA kept heat shield, adjusted trajectory
NASA stuck with the old heat shield design for this flight but tweaked the re-entry path to keep things cooler, and it paid off.
Looking ahead, they'll change the heat shield for future missions.
Artemis three will focus on docking in Earth orbit with one or both of the program's privately developed lunar landers, specifically SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon, while Artemis four aims for a tricky landing near the Moon's south pole.