We need heat shields to protect us, since we use the air to slow us down as we return to Earth.
From orbital speed, it gets to 1650°C / 3000°F. From the Moon: 2750°C / 5000°F.
For yesterday’s Starship suborbital test flight, peak was 1450°C / 2600°F. Great to see the @SpaceX https://t.co/kEakB9HOCJ— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield)
May 23, 2026
from http://twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield
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