NASA’s Artemis 2 mission has captured worldwide attention, but the most thrilling part may still be ahead as the four astronauts prepare to return to Earth in a spectacular manner.
The Orion spacecraft is currently racing through space towards Earth, hurtling towards the atmosphere at an incredible speed of 11km per second, equivalent to 25,000mph or 40 times faster than a commercial jet.
Having launched on April 1 and journeyed farther from Earth than any previous humans, the Orion crew is set to create a mesmerizing sight as they make their way back home this weekend.
As the spacecraft breaches Earth’s atmosphere at over 30 times the speed of sound, it will need to decelerate to a safe landing speed. The craft will generate a shockwave upon entry, raising surrounding air temperatures to over 10,000C. To protect the crew, NASA has equipped Orion with a heat shield made of Avcoat, a blend of silica, epoxy, and resins similar to that used in the Apollo missions.
Following the initial shockwave, the heat shield will endure temperatures of around 2,700C as the crew module descends through the atmosphere. The thin coating of 200 Avcoat tiles is designed to dissipate heat away from the spacecraft.
During the descent, the astronauts will endure 3.9Gs, nearly four times standard gravity, necessitating training to withstand the intense forces. Communication with mission control will be disrupted as superheated plasma interferes with radio signals, but as Orion cools down, communications will be restored.
At approximately 35,000ft, similar to the cruising altitude of a commercial aircraft, Orion will deploy its first set of parachutes to slow down for the final landing. The main chutes will fully open at around 6,000ft, with a gentle touchdown expected at 1,500ft.
Orion is scheduled to splash down off the coast of San Diego at 8.07pm Eastern Time on Friday, or 1am UK time on Saturday. A system of five airbags will inflate on top of the capsule to ensure a proper orientation in case of an upside-down landing.
Subsequently, helicopters from the US Navy vessel John P. Murtha will retrieve the astronauts from their capsule and transport them to the ship for a hero’s welcome and post-mission medical evaluations. Viewers can witness the event live through the provided link.
