Worth a risk? Artemis II astronauts will lose contact with Earth for nearly an hour - NASA
As the Orion spacecraft moves along its lunar trajectory, it will pass behind the far side of the Moon. At that moment, the Moon will sit directly between the spacecraft and Earth
- Apr 1, 2026,
- Updated Apr 1, 2026 1:11 PM IST
For 41 minutes during NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission, astronauts will effectively disappear from Earth, no voice contact, no telemetry, no signal. The sudden silence, however, is not a malfunction but a planned part of the mission.
This silence, scheduled during the April 1 mission, is not a technical failure. It is a predictable phase of the journey, caused by the spacecraft’s path around the Moon.
DON'T MISS: First crewed Moon mission in 5 decades: What Artemis II is doing differently from Apollo
What causes the communication blackout
As the Orion spacecraft moves along its lunar trajectory, it will pass behind the far side of the Moon. At that moment, the Moon will sit directly between the spacecraft and Earth.
Since space communication depends on uninterrupted signal paths, this alignment blocks all transmissions. From Earth, it will appear as though the crew has gone completely offline.
What the crew will be doing
Even without contact with Mission Control, operations inside Orion will continue normally.
The spacecraft is equipped to handle navigation and flight systems on its own during this phase. The astronauts will carry on with their planned activities, relying on onboard systems until communication is restored.
ALSO READ: How much does Artemis II cost—and who pays for it?
Why signals cannot get through
The interruption is rooted in basic physics.
Signals sent between spacecraft and Earth travel as electromagnetic waves, which require a clear path. When the Moon comes in the way, it blocks that path entirely.
Because these waves cannot pass through the Moon’s solid surface, communication is cut off until the spacecraft emerges on the other side.
What Artemis II is designed to do
Artemis II is a crewed test mission that will orbit the Moon without landing. The objective is to validate systems before future missions attempt a lunar landing.
The journey will last around 10 days and carry four astronauts. NASA plans to broadcast the mission live on its NASA+ platform and YouTube.
The launch window is set for 6:24 PM EDT, which translates to 3:24 AM IST the following day, from Kennedy Space Center.
For 41 minutes during NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission, astronauts will effectively disappear from Earth, no voice contact, no telemetry, no signal. The sudden silence, however, is not a malfunction but a planned part of the mission.
This silence, scheduled during the April 1 mission, is not a technical failure. It is a predictable phase of the journey, caused by the spacecraft’s path around the Moon.
DON'T MISS: First crewed Moon mission in 5 decades: What Artemis II is doing differently from Apollo
What causes the communication blackout
As the Orion spacecraft moves along its lunar trajectory, it will pass behind the far side of the Moon. At that moment, the Moon will sit directly between the spacecraft and Earth.
Since space communication depends on uninterrupted signal paths, this alignment blocks all transmissions. From Earth, it will appear as though the crew has gone completely offline.
What the crew will be doing
Even without contact with Mission Control, operations inside Orion will continue normally.
The spacecraft is equipped to handle navigation and flight systems on its own during this phase. The astronauts will carry on with their planned activities, relying on onboard systems until communication is restored.
ALSO READ: How much does Artemis II cost—and who pays for it?
Why signals cannot get through
The interruption is rooted in basic physics.
Signals sent between spacecraft and Earth travel as electromagnetic waves, which require a clear path. When the Moon comes in the way, it blocks that path entirely.
Because these waves cannot pass through the Moon’s solid surface, communication is cut off until the spacecraft emerges on the other side.
What Artemis II is designed to do
Artemis II is a crewed test mission that will orbit the Moon without landing. The objective is to validate systems before future missions attempt a lunar landing.
The journey will last around 10 days and carry four astronauts. NASA plans to broadcast the mission live on its NASA+ platform and YouTube.
The launch window is set for 6:24 PM EDT, which translates to 3:24 AM IST the following day, from Kennedy Space Center.