Only one milestone remained: splashdown, a fast and fiery plunge into the Pacific Ocean that would mark the end of humanity's first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years.Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, the lone Canadian Space Agency astronaut on the crew, had every reason to be confident that the team's Orion crew capsule would hold up just fine. But this was Hansen's first time in space, and his first time dropping through the sky like a fireball at 24,600 mph (39,600 kmh).
In this excerpt from the book, Hansen describes the thrilling intensity of splashdown and the euphoria of knowing that he and his crewmates were going to make it back safely — and make history.
CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen smiles inside the Orion crew capsule during the Artemis II lunar flyby. (Image credit: NASA)A re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere is absolutely on the short list of the most incredible experiences of my life. We slammed into it at 7:53 p.m., thundering down at over 10 kilometres [6.2 miles] per second. Per second.
It was insane to think about what we were doing. We all knew how this worked; we all knew the science. But deep inside, I also recognized that astronauts must have a screw loose to do this. Nobody in their right mind would strap themselves inside a metal canister that itself was sitting inside a giant fireball. But there was no other way down, and I had accepted the realities of this journey long in advance.
The Orion capsule drops toward the Pacific Ocean with all parachutes successfully deployed. (Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)
As we continued our freefall, it looked like a thousand camera flashes were exploding inside Integrity. I lowered the sun visor on my helmet. There were only centimeters of heatshield and aluminum separating me from the more than 2500°C heat outside. Almost instantly, the heat inside our cramped home also began to rise, an increase that engineers refer to as "thermally benign." All I know is that I couldn't feel it, blissfully wrapped in my thermally controlled garments.
I loved every second of it.
Within seconds, we saw plasma forming outside our windows, and the heat at the base of our capsule grew so intense that flames soon engulfed us.
"Houston, Integrity," Reid [Wiseman, mission commander], replied. "We have you loud and clear."
I've watched many of my close friends return from space, and I find the minutes after surviving the re-entry heat until the parachutes deploy to be the hardest part to watch. When I see a capsule plunge through the clouds with no chutes, I always worry they might not appear at all. That's completely terrifying.
Jeremy Hansen arrives on the deck of the USS John P. Murtha after being recovered from the Orion capsule. All four crewmembers were in perfect health after splashdown. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)Three minutes later, at an altitude of 7,100 metres, timed explosions released small chutes that pulled off the cover for two larger chutes, called drogues because they are intended to slow our acceleration to a speed that would allow our main parachutes to open without ripping. They did their job perfectly, but it was wild inside the capsule, jerking us back and forth like a ride at the fair.
One minute later, at only 1,500 metres above the ocean, the drogue chutes cut loose, and, for a few moments, we felt like we were falling backward. Then, in succession, the three main parachutes began deploying, blossoming slowly so they wouldn't tear apart. The rate of our fall slowed as the red-and-white nylon canopies, each 35 metres in diameter, filled with air. The thrusters kept firing, aiming the capsule's base directly toward the point of impact.
Exclusive to Live Science Pro"Integrity, we see three good-looking parachutes," we heard from our CAPCOM. Within seconds, our splashdown speed had reduced to 27 kilometres per hour.
Christina [Koch, mission specialist] seemed to agree. We grabbed one another's hands in a moment of celebration.
Help us improve Live Science Pro: We're always trying to make our content better. Leave us feedback about Pro here.
Hanover Square Press Earthrise: Inside Artemis Ii, the Groundbreaking Human Mission Into Deep SpaceThe dramatic, high-stakes account of Artemis II, the first human journey into deep space in fifty years, told from the perspective of astronaut Jeremy Hansen ... A riveting and intimate account of the iconic achievement of Artemis II, Earthrise—written by author John Larsen and based on extensive interviews he conducted with Hansen—is a testament to what can be achieved with unity, teamwork, and a bold belief in humanity’s ability to reach for the stars.
Hence then, the article about flames soon engulfed us artemis ii astronaut jeremy hansen describes his mission s riskiest moment was published today ( ) and is available on Live Science ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( 'Flames soon engulfed us': Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen describes his mission's riskiest moment )
Also on site :