atmosphericentry
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Wild Shuttlecock-Inspired Heat Shield Could Make Reusable Satellites a Reality
Retired satellites typically burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, never again seeing the light of day. However, a Welsh design firm named Space Forge is developing a foldable heat shield in the ongoing effort make satellites reusable, and the company wants to test the concept in orbit later this year.
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Orion’s Heat Shield Looked Wonky After Artemis 1 Moon Mission, NASA Says
Orion set several records during the Artemis 1 mission to the Moon, in addition to surviving 5,000-degree Fahrenheit temperatures during atmospheric reentry. The spacecraft’s innovative heat shield made this possible, but NASA’s follow-up analysis of the protective layer has revealed levels of wear and tear that weren’t predicted by models.
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Orion Will ‘Skip Like a Rock’ Across Earth’s Atmosphere During Upcoming Reentry
The Artemis 1 mission is coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean the hard part is over. The uncrewed Orion spacecraft, currently on its way home from the Moon, must still survive a harrowing reentry through Earth’s atmosphere if it’s to perform a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. NASA is hoping that a…
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NASA Recovers Inflatable Heat Shield From Pacific Ocean After Orbital Test
After launching an inflatable heat shield experiment to space on Thursday, NASA has now recovered the device after its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The space agency is seeking to learn whether this kind of heat shield can protect precious payloads from the high temperatures of atmospheric reentry.