Seven large aluminum alloy pieces friction-stir welded into an airtight capsule. Engineers reduced the original 33 welds down to 7 for Artemis I and beyond, saving 700 lbs of mass.
The world's largest ablative heat shield at 16.5 ft in diameter. Made of 186 hand-machined Avcoat blocks — the same material (reformulated) used on Apollo capsules — bonded to a titanium skeleton. The shield endures temperatures approaching 5,000°F (2,760°C) during re-entry at 25,000 mph. The Avcoat ablates in a controlled fashion, carrying heat away from the spacecraft.
1,300 silica fiber tiles cover the sides of the crew module, protecting against micrometeoroid debris and temperatures ranging from -350°F in deep space to 5,000°F during re-entry. Uses "toughened uni-piece fibrous insulation" coating developed late in the Shuttle Program.
11 parachutes deploy in sequence after the forward bay cover is jettisoned at ~23,000 ft altitude, slowing Orion from ~325 mph to 20 mph or less for safe ocean splashdown.
Five bright orange helium-filled bags on the capsule top. If Orion splashes down inverted, the bags inflate automatically — uprighting Orion in under 4 minutes and keeping it stable for at least 24 hours.
Four seats accommodate the 1st–99th percentile of human body sizes (4'10" 94 lb to 6'5" 243 lb). Each seat has a 5-point harness, concave headrest, shoulder/hip bolsters, and a crew impact attenuation system with 6 inches of travel on guard rails — engaging only at splashdown to absorb landing shock.
Three display units (DU1, DU2, DU3) in front of the commander and pilot positions. Seven switch interface panels, two rotational hand controllers, two translational hand controllers, and two cursor-control devices. Electronic procedures step the crew through tasks directly from the display, with built-in caution and warning system links.
Bright orange custom-fit pressure suits (not one-size-fits-all like the shuttle era). Can sustain the crew for up to 6 days if cabin pressure is lost — supporting a multi-day return from the Moon. Touch-screen compatible gloves, lighter helmet, improved thermal management. Worn at launch, landing, and during high-risk lunar approach phases.
Regenerable carbon dioxide and humidity removal system — requires no expendable chemicals. The CO₂ scrubber takes up the space of only 16 basketballs vs. 143 basketballs for the shuttle's consumable approach, saving over 100 lbs. High-pressure O₂ and N₂ tanks provide pressure control, operable manually by crew if needed.
An extra-large-shoe-box-sized cable device using a flywheel and pulleys — like a rowing machine. Supports aerobic (rowing), resistance (squats, deadlifts, curls), and cardio workouts. Three resistance levels; max load ~400–500 lbs. Crew exercises 30 min/day every day except launch and landing days.
The first American spacecraft toilet designed equally for men and women. Redesigned seat, funnel, and flow system based on female crew input. Self-contained at ~5 ft³ — 60% smaller than the shuttle toilet. Air flow pulls waste away from the body into sealed containers.
Four lightweight wall-mounted sleeping bags secured to attach points on the crew module walls and ceiling — functioning like stretched hammocks. All four crew members sleep simultaneously on an 8-hour schedule.
Addresses 128 identified medical conditions with 139 resources. Includes a prime kit, secondary kit, medical accessory kits, and seat-accessible items. Designed for routine through emergent care, drawing from Apollo, Shuttle, and ISS experience.
During a severe solar particle event, crew retreats to designated stowage bays in the lower portion of the crew module where the heat shield and service module provide additional shielding. Stowage bags provide localized shielding at vulnerable interior points without adding structural mass. Crew can shelter for up to 24 hours with food, water, medical supplies, and air lines stored inside.
The cylindrical, unpressurized service module provides propulsion, power, and supplies. Covered with Kevlar to absorb micrometeorite shocks. During launch the three fairing panels protect it from heat and acoustic vibrations; they jettison above the atmosphere, and the four solar arrays unfurl. The service module separates before crew module re-entry.
A 46-ft tower on top of Orion capable of pulling the crew module to safety within milliseconds of a launch emergency. Three motors — abort, attitude control, and jettison — fire in sequence. The LAS can pull the crew to safety from the pad through upper atmosphere. It is jettisoned after the upper atmosphere is cleared (~3 min into flight), even when not needed, because the spacecraft can then safely abort on its own.
Over 750,000 lines of flight software control power, communications, guidance, navigation, propulsion, thermal management, and instrumentation. The automated system can operate through loss of communication and radiation-induced upsets. Crew can take manual control at any time. A backup flight computer with independently developed software takes over in the event all primary computers fail — covering all orbital and descent phases.
Artemis II includes planned manual piloting checkouts, including a manual proximity operations demonstration with the ICPS upper stage after separation.