I suppose "this will be the first time we can test this slightly modified heat shield in the slightly different pressures and temperatures that it will have to endure." isn't quite as eye catching.

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andrewflnr 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Yeah, that's what "untested" means in spaceflight.

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JumpCrisscross 2 hours ago | parent [-]

> that's what "untested" means in spaceflight

Sort of. At a certain threshold, everything is untested. I’d put this closer to modified than untested—the general config was tested in Artemis I and the specific configuration in a variety of ground tests.

	▲	wat10000 22 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		I'd say it's tested. It failed. Then they're flying it anyway. Wonderful stuff.

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groby_b 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I mean, sure. But that's like equipping a sub with a screen door and claiming that in the grand scheme of things, it's a slightly different door with slightly different permeability characteristics.