Artemis II: Astronauts To Face 40-Minute Communication Blackout Behind The Moon

Artemis II enters a planned 40-minute radio blackout behind the Moon, testing mission control resilience and Earth-based tracking from Goonhilly. The event underscores the importance of continuous lunar communications for future Moon operations and international collaborations such as Moonlight, with implications for safety and data continuity.

The Artemis astronauts on Nasa’s Artemis II mission are about to face their most private minutes in space. As the Orion capsule slips behind the Moon at about 23:47 BST on Monday, radio and laser links with Earth will cut out, leaving the crew out of contact for around 40 minutes.

During this blackout, four astronauts will travel through darkness with no direct voice from Houston, Texas. Mission control’s calm updates, which have guided every stage so far, will suddenly stop. The crew will still fly on as planned, but the silence is expected to feel deeply personal and intense.

Artemis II mission communication blackout and tracking from Earth

On the ground, teams supporting the Artemis II mission will monitor events with some anxiety. At the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, a large antenna has been tracking Orion, locking on to its signal, measuring its path and returning precise data to Nasa headquarters throughout the journey.

Matt Cosby, Goonhilly’s chief technology officer, explained the importance of the moment for the Artemis II mission. "This is the first time we're tracking a spacecraft with humans on it." Cosby said engineers expect some nerves as Orion disappears behind the Moon, then great relief when the signal returns and confirms the crew’s safety.

Artemis II mission plans for future Moon communication

Nasa and partner agencies see the Artemis II mission as a step towards long-term Moon exploration, making communications a central challenge. Cosby said reliable links will become essential for crews and support teams once lunar bases and more regular missions begin, especially when activity extends to the Moon’s far side.

Cosby stressed the demands that will grow beyond the Artemis II mission. "For a sustainable presence on the Moon, you need the full comms - you need the full 24 hours a day, even on the far side, because the far side will want to be explored as well," he said, pointing to continuous coverage as a core requirement.

Artemis II mission context: Apollo memories and astronaut reflections

Plans like the European Space Agency’s Moonlight programme aim to launch satellites around the Moon, supporting missions after Artemis II with almost constant coverage. These networks are designed to avoid the kind of signal drop that will affect Orion, providing navigation and communication links for many future spacecraft and lunar surface teams.

The communications loss during the Artemis II mission echoes the experiences of Apollo astronauts more than 50 years ago. Apollo 11’s Michael Collins, orbiting alone while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface in 1969, lost contact with both the landing site and mission control for 48 minutes on each far-side pass.

Collins later described those periods in the command module in his 1974 book Carrying the Fire. He wrote that he felt "truly alone" and "isolated from any known life", yet did not feel panic. In later interviews, Collins said the quiet offered calm and a pause from constant radio calls from Earth.

The crew of the Artemis II mission expects a different emotional mix as Orion moves behind the Moon. Artemis pilot Victor Glover told BBC News that the blackout could also have meaning for people watching from Earth. Glover hopes the pause in communication prompts reflection beyond the mission itself.

"When we're behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let's take that as an opportunity," Glover said before launch. "Let's pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew." The four astronauts will use the time to study the Moon’s surface and geology, capturing images and quietly observing its changing landscape.

With the Artemis II mission focused on flying humans further from Earth than before, the blackout marks a symbolic test of trust in technology and training. When Orion reappears from the Moon’s shadow and the signal locks on again, mission teams and viewers worldwide are expected to relax as the astronauts share their new views of Earth and the lunar world.