SpaceX’s experimental test of metallic heat shield tiles for the Starship vehicle ended in failure, with the tiles degrading rapidly under extreme thermal stress. The setback exposes a significant ...

Bringing a spacecraft back to Earth means dealing with the intense heat of reentry. Heat shields can protect a vehicle from high temperatures, but the shield is destroyed in the process. The ESA is ...

When four astronauts set off on their historic trip around the moon in NASA’s 16.5-foot-wide Orion spacecraft, they knew they’d be testing a known flaw with their spacecraft — one that had some ...

(CNN) — As four astronauts complete their historic trip around the moon in NASA’s 16.5-foot-wide Orion spacecraft, they’ll be testing a known flaw — one that had some experts urging the space agency ...

Excess charring on Artemis I's heat shield had NASA racing to understand what went wrong—and to ensure the technology was still safe for the current crew's high-speed reentry. The uncrewed Artemis I ...

Update: The Artemis II crew splashed down to end its mission successfully on Friday, April 10. Follow the latest here. Within seconds, temperatures across its 16.5-foot-wide heat shield will climb to ...