Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 11:26am on 10 Apr 2026,Friday Science
NASA’s Artemis-2 astronauts are set to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at unprecedented speeds of nearly 40,000 km/h, making it the fastest human return ever. The extreme velocity is due to their deep-space trajectory around the Moon, which accelerates the spacecraft using lunar gravity. During reentry, the Orion capsule will face intense heat generated mainly by air compression, not friction, creating temperatures of thousands of degrees. This phase also causes a temporary communication blackout due to plasma formation. Despite advanced heat shields and “skip reentry” techniques, the process remains highly risky and is considered the mission’s most dangerous stage. (PC: NASA)
