The Artemis II crew experienced a historic 40-minute communication blackout as they ventured behind the Moon’s far side, marking a significant milestone in deep space exploration.
The Artemis II crew officially entered a historic communications blackout on Monday evening as their spacecraft slipped behind the Moon’s far side, breaking distance records in the process.
NASA reported that the signal loss began at approximately 6:44 p.m. ET and is expected to last for about 40 minutes. During this unprecedented moment, the crew—comprising Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—became the most isolated humans in deep space history.
The blackout occurred as the spacecraft lost line of sight to Earth, with the Moon obstructing satellite communications entirely. Contact is anticipated to resume around 7:25 p.m. ET, when Earth reemerges on the other side of the Moon’s horizon in a moment known as “Earthrise.”
Ground control has emphasized that NASA does not foresee any specific dangers during this mission but is prepared for potential contingencies. The astronauts had recently practiced essential tasks, such as drinking protein shakes and administering medication, while wearing their bulky orange launch and entry suits. This preparation ensures they can manage in case they must remain in their gear for an extended period.
NASA also highlighted that if the spacecraft were to be punctured, the Orion capsule is designed to continuously pump oxygen to maintain cabin pressure, providing the crew with ample time to safely don their pressurized suits.
During the blackout, the Artemis II crew is set to achieve several significant milestones, including becoming the first humans to witness previously unseen views of the Moon’s far side. At 7:05 p.m. ET, the spacecraft is expected to reach its farthest point from Earth at 252,760 miles, surpassing the Apollo 13 record by approximately 4,105 miles.
At their nearest point, the Moon will appear about the size of a basketball held at arm’s length, according to NASA. While ground control and the science evaluation room will not be able to communicate with the astronauts during this specific period, the crew will continue to execute their lunar targeting plan and conduct scientific observations throughout the blackout.
The astronauts are expected to track historic Apollo sites, scout future landing zones, and photograph rare views of nearby planets, including Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn. They will also have the unique opportunity to observe a solar eclipse from Orion’s vantage point.
Earlier in the afternoon, the crew broke the record for distance traveled from Earth, a milestone previously set by Apollo 13 in 1970, according to NASA.