A U.S. Navy recovery team retrieved the Orion spacecraft from the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026, capturing underwater footage of its heat shield shortly after the Artemis II mission returned to Earth. Engineers later conducted a detailed assessment of the thermal protection system to verify its ability to withstand reentry temperatures and protect both the crew and internal systems. The analysis concluded that the shield functioned as designed, meeting all performance expectations. These findings contribute to ongoing efforts to refine spacecraft safety protocols for future deep space missions.