Orion Capsule Problems

[brockrwood]

This is bad news for pressing forward with Artemis crewed moon launch on schedule.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smar...st-flight-posing-significant-risks-180984296/

I attended a talk in Boulder, Colorado, USA, a few months ago about the Orion capsule and the Artemis program that depends on the Orion capsule working well. The talk was given by the Lockheed-Martin person in charge of the Orion capsule development. He said during the talk that the burned away spots on the heat shield looked bad but were not a safety risk. It looks like NASA is nervous about the Orion capsule. If so, it looks like the capsule will have to be modified. If that is so, then the capsule will have to be live tested using a real re-entry, again, no? That seems like certain delay for the Artemis program.

Dang.

 

[aerostadt]

These reports sound very concerning. Look at the photo's in the news article. To me the erosion does not look good.

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/nasa-orion-capsule-experienced-several-203947880.html

 

[Hobie1dog]

All of the heat shields on the Apollo capsules were good, so I wonder why they're having issues 50 years later?

 

[FredA]

so I wonder why they're having issues 50 years later?

Total loss of all tribal knowledge.

 

[cls]

Apollo command module was made by North American, Orion is made by Lockheed. So I think they never had the tribal knowledge.

 

[kuririn]

Not enough wadding.

 

[Antares JS]

All of the heat shields on the Apollo capsules were good, so I wonder why they're having issues 50 years later?

There are some differences. One big one is that the Apollo heat shields were monolithic, made in a single piece. The Orion heat shield is made in segments that are connected together. The Orion heat shield is also manufactured by robots, whereas the Apollo heat shields were manufactured by hand.

 

[lakeroadster]

There are some differences. One big one is that the Apollo heat shields were monolithic, made in a single piece. The Orion heat shield is made in segments that are connected together. The Orion heat shield is also manufactured by robots, whereas the Apollo heat shields were manufactured by hand.

Hi-Tech vs Low-Tech.... and Low-Tech just seems to work out better.​

 

[terryg]

Is't the Orion bigger and heavier also?

 

[Antares JS]

Is't the Orion bigger and heavier also?

Yes, it's at least part of why they tried to build the heat shield in segments.