The Artemis II astronauts are about to return from a record-setting trip around the moon, but is their Orion spacecraft's heat shield safe to bring them home? NASA and the astronauts say yes, but not everyone agrees.

The Artemis II mission, which launched April 1, is set to end with a dramatic splashdown in the Pacific Ocean late Friday (April 10). NASA's first crewed flight to the moon since 1972 has led to some stunning images and poignant human moments. However, the reentry — which will occur at over 25,000 mph (40,000 km/h) to make the crew the fastest humans in history — will be the most dangerous hurdle yet.