In the high-stakes world of human spaceflight, few components carry as much responsibility as a spacecraft’s heat shield. For NASA’s Artemis II mission – the first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years – the shield on the Orion capsule became the focal point of intense scrutiny, debate, and ultimately, relief. Launched on April 1, 2026, with astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, a...