NASA Artemis II splashes down in Pacific Ocean in ‘perfect’ landing for Moon mission

NASA's Artemis II crew capsule returns to Earth in flawless Pacific landing, marking a critical success for the agency's lunar ambitions. | Contesto: cronaca

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• NASA Artemis II splashes down in Pacific Ocean in ‘perfect’ landing for Moon mission

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The crew capsule of NASA's Artemis II mission, named Integrity, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego just after 5:07 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, concluding a landmark test flight with what mission controllers described as a 'perfect' landing. The successful return of the uncrewed spacecraft, which spent over a week in a distant lunar orbit, clears a major technical hurdle for NASA's plan to send astronauts back to the Moon. The splashdown, executed under clear skies and calm seas, was the final and most perilous phase of the mission. The capsule, traveling at approximately 25,000 miles per hour upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere, endured temperatures nearing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Its heat shield, a critical new design, performed flawlessly, protecting the spacecraft as it decelerated before deploying its parachutes for a gentle descent into the water. Recovery teams stationed aboard the USS Portland were on scene within minutes to secure the capsule. Artemis II served as a comprehensive stress test for the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module, pushing systems further than the earlier Artemis I mission. While uncrewed, the capsule was configured as it will be for future astronauts, with manikins equipped with sensors to measure radiation exposure and vibration. The mission validated Orion's life support systems, navigation, and communication capabilities over hundreds of thousands of miles, including a prolonged period in a challenging deep-space radiation environment. The flawless return is a significant boost for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. The program has faced years of delays and budget overruns, making this demonstration of a safe crew return from lunar distances a non-negotiable milestone. "Today, we proved the spacecraft that will carry our astronauts is ready," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a post-splashdown briefing. "The heat shield works, the parachutes work, and the procedures for recovery are precise." With the Integrity capsule safely recovered, engineers will now begin a meticulous post-flight analysis. The spacecraft will be...

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Categoria: cronaca