The Artemis II crew will experience a communication blackout lasting roughly 40 minutes as their spacecraft travels behind the Moon around 23:47 BST on Monday. During this period, radio and laser signals connecting the four astronauts to mission control in Houston will be blocked by the lunar body itself, leaving the crew in isolation as they travel through space.
Artemis pilot Victor Glover has characterized the blackout as a meaningful moment, encouraging the world to use the time for reflection and to send positive thoughts toward the crew’s safe return. The experience mirrors historical precedent from the Apollo program, when astronauts also experienced signal loss during lunar missions. Apollo 11’s Michael Collins notably spent 48 minutes out of contact while orbiting the Moon in 1969, later describing the experience as peaceful despite the profound isolation.
On Earth, tracking stations including the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall will monitor the spacecraft’s position and await signal restoration. Matt Cosby, chief technology officer at Goonhilly, indicated that staff will experience tension during the blackout before relief upon reestablishing contact. During the communication gap, the Artemis astronauts are expected to focus entirely on lunar observation, capturing images and studying the Moon’s geology.
Looking forward, space agencies are developing solutions to eliminate future communication blackouts. The European Space Agency’s Moonlight program plans to deploy a satellite network around the Moon to provide continuous coverage, a capability identified as essential for establishing a sustainable lunar base and enabling far-side exploration by Nasa and international partners.
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