For NASA astronomers, engineers and mission managers, the most critical point of a trip to the moon is not the maneuver around the satellite but rather a much less moment: reentry. That final effort, which lasts less than 20 minutes, may completely redefine the Artemis program.
The four Artemis II astronauts are the first to return to lunar orbit after 50 years. They are also the first to return to Earth in a new spacecraft that will reach about 11 kilometers per second—32 times the speed of sound, or nearly twice the speed of a traditional reentry from the International Space Station. During this final stage,