Artemis I
Uncrewed 2022 lunar test that revealed Orion's heat shield damage.
Last refreshed: 2 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What went wrong with Orion's heat shield on Artemis I?
Latest on Artemis I
- What happened on Artemis I?
- Artemis I was an uncrewed 25.5-day test flight in November 2022. It reached 268,000 miles from Earth but the Orion heat shield shed material at over 100 locations during re-entry.Source: background
- When did Artemis I launch?
- Artemis I launched on 16 November 2022 and splashed down on 11 December 2022.Source: quick_facts
- What was the Artemis I heat shield problem?
- The Orion capsule's heat shield lost material at more than 100 locations during re-entry, triggering an Independent Review Board and delaying crewed missions.Source: background
- How far did Artemis I travel?
- Orion reached 268,000 miles from Earth on Artemis I, farther than any crew-rated spacecraft before it.Source: quick_facts
- Was Artemis I successful?
- Largely yes: SLS and Orion completed the mission. The heat shield anomaly was an important exception, with safety implications still being assessed.Source: background
Background
Artemis I's heat shield shed material at more than 100 locations during re-entry, triggering a formal Independent Review Board and directly shaping the safety decisions now governing the crewed Artemis II mission.
Launched 16 November 2022, the uncrewed test flew Orion farther from Earth than any crew-rated capsule in history, reaching 268,000 miles over a 25.5-day mission before splashing down on 11 December 2022. The Space Launch System Block 1 performed nominally; the European Service Module delivered propulsion without incident.
Artemis I proved the SLS and Orion stack could reach the Moon and return safely, yet the heat shield anomaly it exposed remains the central unresolved question for crewed lunar flight. NASA and the OIG have differing assessments of how much risk that leaves for crews on Artemis II and beyond.