Dangerous NASA Heat Shield Update: No Propellant Leak During Axiom Mission 1 Spaceflight, Says Space Agency

A dangerous NASA heat shield issue has been clarified by the international space union. This detail was claimed by the website called Space Explored.

Dangerous NASA Heat Shield Update: No Propellant Leak During Axiom Mission 1 Spaceflight, Says Space Agency
A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft sits atop a Falcon 9 rocket on launch Pad 39A ahead of the scheduled Axiom-1 launch on April 7, 2022 at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Axiom Space is managing the first fully private crew on an 10-day mission to the International Space Station. Commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria. Photo by Red Huber/Getty Images

However, the giant space agency now denies this claim, saying that there's now a propellant leak during the successful Axiom Mission 1 spaceflight.

Ax-1 is one of the most-awaited spaceflights of NASA. Many people are interested in this space activity since it is the first-eve all-private crewed mission that visited the International Space Station.

After reaching ISS, the spacecraft used, SpaceX Dragon Endeavour, successfully splashed down off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, on April 25.

Dangerous NASA Heat Shield Update: No Propellant Leak?

According to Space.Com's latest report, Space Explored said that some anonymous people familiar with the works of NASA and SpaceX contacted them to explain the heat shield problem.

Dangerous NASA Heat Shield Update: No Propellant Leak During Axiom Mission 1 Spaceflight, Says Space Agency
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from launch complex 39A carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft on a commercial mission managed by Axion Space at Kennedy Space Center April 8, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The first fully private crew on an 10-day mission to the International Space Station is commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria. Photo by Red Huber/Getty Images

The website claimed that the hypergolic propellant of Ax-1's spacecraft experienced a serious fuel leak, which affected its heat shield.

"While those watching the flight would have been unaware of any complications during the launch, Space Explored has been made aware of a cascade of issues. The most seriously affected the spacecraft during its return to Earth," said the Space Explored via its official report.

Now, NASA clarified the accusation, saying that Dragon's recent crew re-entry data was normal. The international space union added that there was no hypergol leak during the return of the Ax-1 mission.

NASA Doubles Check Ax-1's Spacecraft

NASA said that, together with SpaceX, they conducted a full engineering review of the heat shield's thermal protection system.

The space company added that they did this prior to the launch of the Crew-4 mission as well.

This means that if there's really a serious propellant fuel leak, SpaceX and NASA would certainly be able to identify it before completing the recent Axiom Mission 1 spaceflight.

If you want to see further details about the alleged heat shield issue of NASA, you can visit this link.

On the other hand, NASA James Webb Telescope identified a new exoplanet covered in lava oceans.

Meanwhile, NASA Psyche Mission has been delayed because of a glitch issue.

For more news updates about NASA and its upcoming space activities, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Written by: Griffin Davis

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