Heat shields – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

The Artemis III crew takes a photo during the crew announcement on June 9, 2026. From left: Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio. NASA/Robert Markowitz

June 18, 2026

NASA announces its Artemis III crew, which will test important equipment and systems in Earth orbit and is testing public opinion

Margaret Landis, Arizona State University

The Artemis program’s timeline and architecture has changed over the past year, so Artemis III will not land on the lunar surface.

The Space Launch System rocket is undergoing preparations to launch the Artemis II mission. Nasa / Bill Ingalls

March 30, 2026

Heat shield safety concerns raise stakes for Nasa’s Artemis II Moon mission

Ed Macaulay, Queen Mary University of London

Worries were raised when the heat shield from a previous mission came back damaged.

As this illustration of the Apollo VIII command module reentering Earth shows, heat shields protect the crew capsule from high temperatures. NASA Johnson Space Center

December 12, 2024

NASA’s crew capsule had heat shield issues during Artemis I − an aerospace expert on these critical spacecraft components

Marcos Fernandez Tous, University of North Dakota

It’s a good idea to make sure your spacecraft can take the heat that comes with reentering Earth’s atmosphere before you put people in it.

Rovers on Mars frequently come across debris – like this heat shield and spring – from their own or other missions. NASA/JPL-Caltech

September 20, 2022

Mars is littered with 15,694 pounds of human trash from 50 years of robotic exploration

Cagri Kilic, West Virginia University

Discarded pieces of landing gear, crashed spacecraft and wear and tear have produced a lot of debris that is now scattered around the Martian surface.

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