A Moment of Silence: Artemis Crew's 40 Minutes Out of Contact

Mon Apr 06 2026 21:48:25 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As the Artemis astronauts journey around the Moon, they will face a brief yet profound moment of solitude and silence as they lose contact with Earth.

During a critical phase of the Artemis II mission, astronauts will experience a 40-minute blackout in communication as they pass behind the Moon. This moment of isolation provides an opportunity for reflection and lunar observation, echoing the historic experiences of past lunar missions. While mission control eagerly awaits their return to signal, the crew will focus on the beauty and science of the Moon.

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 expressed his hope that this moment will serve as an opportunity for the world to come together: When we're behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let's take that as an opportunity to pray, hope, and send good thoughts for the crew.

This experience echoes the past; over 50 years ago, the Apollo astronauts also faced isolation during their lunar missions. Notably, Michael Collins experienced a 48-minute blackout while orbiting the Moon alone, feeling truly alone yet finding peace in the silence.

As Artemis astronauts lose contact, they will focus on lunar observation, documenting images and studying the Moon's geology. When communication is re-established, the world will share in their incredible views and experiences.

In the future, advancements in communication technologies are expected to eliminate such blackouts, essential for sustained human presence on the Moon and beyond.