NASA found more than 100 places on the heat shield where what's known as the char layer ended up cracking and breaking off the spacecraft in fragments that created a trail of debris rather than melting away as designed, the report reads.
While there was no evidence of impact with the crew module, the quantity and size of the debris could have caused enough structural damage to cause one of Orion's parachutes to fail, the report reads.
Given the high stakes of the first crewed flight, the agency is working to identify and mitigate any risks and challenges to ensure the safe return of the Artemis II crew and safeguard NASA's significant investment in Artemis vehicles and systems, the report reads.
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