In brief
The Artemis II mission will take astronauts behind the Moon, leading to a 40-minute period of complete radio blackout. During this time, the crew will reflect on their journey and the significance of their mission. This unique experience parallels the historic Apollo missions, particularly Michael Collins' isolation during Apollo 11. As communication drops, the astronauts will focus on lunar observations until contact is reestablished. This moment symbolizes both the challenges of space exploration and the beauty of human connection with our celestial neighbor.
No-one will have been further from home than the Artemis astronauts. But as the Earth shrinks ever smaller in their rear-view mirror, they've had a constant connection with mission control in Houston, Texas. The calm words from the Nasa team have given the crew a comforting link with home. That link is about to be lost. As the astronauts pass behind the Moon at about 23:47 BST (18:47 EDT) on Monday, the radio and laser signals that allow the back-and-forth communication between the spacecraft and Earth will be blocked by the Moon itself.For about 40 minutes, the four astronauts will be alone, each with their own thoughts and feelings, travelling through the darkness of space. A profound moment of solitude and silence. Artemis pilot Victor Glover hopes the world will use the time to come together. When we're behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let's take that as an opportunity, he said.This experience is reminiscent of the Apollo missions, particularly Michael Collins' solitude during Apollo 11 when he spent 48 minutes without contact with Earth. Back on the ground, the blackout will create a tense atmosphere, especially for those with the job of maintaining contact with the spacecraft. The hope is that dropouts in communications could soon be a thing of the past as plans like the European Space Agency's Moonlight aim to provide continuous coverage in the future.When the Artemis astronauts emerge from the Moon's shadow and signal is reestablished, the world will collectively breathe a sigh of relief and the crew will share their incredible lunar views.
