The Artemis II crew experienced a historic 40-minute communication blackout as their spacecraft passed behind the Moon’s far side, marking a significant milestone in deep space exploration.
The Artemis II crew officially entered a momentous communications blackout on Monday evening as their spacecraft slipped behind the Moon’s far side, setting new distance records in the process.
NASA reported that the signal loss began at approximately 6:44 p.m. ET and is expected to last around 40 minutes. During this unprecedented event, astronauts 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 referred to as “Earthrise.”
Ground control has assured that NASA does not foresee any specific dangers during this mission, but they are prepared for potential contingencies. The astronauts recently practiced essential tasks, such as consuming protein shakes and administering medication, while wearing their bulky orange launch and entry suits. This preparation is crucial in case they need to remain in their gear for an extended period.
In the event of a puncture in the spacecraft, NASA has equipped the Orion module to continuously pump oxygen, ensuring that cabin pressure is maintained. This feature provides the crew with ample time to safely don their pressurized suits.
During the blackout, the Artemis II crew will achieve several significant milestones, including becoming the first humans to witness previously unseen views of the Moon’s far side. At approximately 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 about 4,105 miles.
At their closest approach, the Moon will appear roughly the size of a basketball held at arm’s length, according to NASA. Although ground control and the science evaluation room will be unable to communicate with the astronauts during this time, the crew will continue to execute their lunar targeting plan and conduct scientific observations.
The astronauts are set to track historic Apollo sites, scout potential future landing zones, and capture 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 distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970, marking a significant achievement in the ongoing Artemis program.
According to NASA, this mission not only pushes the boundaries of human exploration but also lays the groundwork for future lunar missions and potential manned missions to Mars.