Overview
- The four Artemis II astronauts, who briefed reporters at Johnson Space Center on Thursday, said Orion reentered hotter and faster than expected and lost communications for about six minutes as plasma built up around the capsule.
- Commander Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover said they may have seen brief loss of char on the heat shield, and NASA is now analyzing the shield’s performance after the crew’s initial visual check looked sound.
- Wiseman said Orion’s toilet worked but a blockage in the primary ventilation line limited the urine tank, which forced workarounds for waste handling during the 10‑day flight.
- The crew emphasized the human side of the mission, citing reliance on operational psychology support and a bond that they said turned colleagues into close friends.
- Looking ahead, Wiseman said a lander would have made a lunar descent feel within reach, and NASA is using the flight data and broad public interest to tune hardware and procedures for the next Artemis flights.