atmospheric reentry

Atmospheric reentry is the process of a spacecraft returning from space into Earth's atmosphere. As it descends, it travels at extremely high speeds, causing the air in front of it to compress and generate intense heat through friction. This creates a fiery glow known as reentry heat. To protect the spacecraft and its occupants, special heat shields absorb and dissipate this heat. Reentry also results in high deceleration, requiring the craft to slow down safely. Ultimately, successful reentry enables the spacecraft to reach the ground or a landing site intact.