“We have since determined that while the capsule was dipping in and out of the atmosphere, as part of that planned skip entry, heat accumulated inside the heat shield outer layer, leading to gases forming and becoming trapped inside the heat shield,” said Pam Melroy, NASA’s deputy administrator. “This caused internal pressure to build up and led to cracking and uneven shedding of that outer layer.”
An independent team of experts concurred with NASA’s determination of the root cause, Melroy said.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson, deputy administrator Pam Melroy, associate administrator Jim Free, and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman speak with reporters Thursday
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