Artemis I launched on 16 November 2022 as an uncrewed test of the SLS/Orion stack, flying 268,000 miles from Earth over a 25.5-day mission before splashing down on 11 December 2022. The SLS Block 1 and European Service Module performed nominally. During re-entry the Orion heat shield shed material at more than 100 locations, triggering a formal Independent Review Board. The OIG report IG-24-011, published May 2024, documented three failure modes including Bolt melt that could cause vehicle breakup.

NASA chose a modified lower-heating re-entry trajectory rather than a shield replacement for Artemis II. The Independent Review Board report was never published before Artemis II flew. Post-mission, Commander Wiseman reported a "little loss of charred material on the shoulder" consistent with the Artemis I anomaly mode, and a 30-day KSC scan is under way.

Artemis I's unresolved legacy is the standard against which Artemis II is being measured. The OIG documented both the failure modes and the $93 billion programme cost figure that defines congressional scrutiny of the entire Artemis architecture.

Common Questions

What went wrong with Orion's heat shield on Artemis I?

During re-entry, Orion's heat shield shed ablative material at more than 100 locations. The OIG report IG-24-011 documented three failure modes including Bolt melt that could cause vehicle breakup.Source: NASA OIG IG-24-011

Did NASA fix the Orion heat shield before Artemis II?

NASA modified the re-entry trajectory to reduce heat-shield loading but did not replace the shield. The Independent Review Board report was never published before Artemis II flew.Source: NASA OIG / Lowdown

How far did Artemis I travel?

Artemis I flew 268,000 miles from Earth over 25.5 days, farther than any previous crew-rated capsule, before splashing down on 11 December 2022.Source: NASA

How the World Sees Them

NASA OIG

Documented three failure modes. Bolt melt is the most severe: it can cause crew loss.

NASA engineers

IRB report findings were not published before Artemis II flew. The 30-day Artemis II scan will produce the first crewed comparison data.

Independent analysts

Camarda assessed 1-in-20 catastrophic failure for Artemis II partly based on the Artemis I anomaly remaining unresolved.