To the Moon and Back: UC Davis Plays Role in Historic Artemis I Mission
"On Dec. 11, Artemis I’s Orion capsule made a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean after nearly 26 days in space and orbiting the moon. Orion is NASA’s new exploration spacecraft designed to carry humans into deep space.
The McClellan Nuclear Research Center (MNRC) at the University of California, Davis played an important role in the success of the historic moon mission.
The MNRC is a one-of-a-kind facility in the world with unique capabilities to conduct non-destructive testing using neutron radiography. For the Artemis I mission, one of the tests that NASA performed at the center was neutron imaging of the pyrotechnic devices known as “frangible rings” — responsible for stage separation of a rocket — to make sure they work effectively during critical moments of flight."