The 40 minutes when the Artemis crew loses contact with the Earth
No one has ever felt as distant from Earth as the Artemis astronauts. Their journey to the Moon has placed them in a position where the Earth appears smaller in their rear-view mirror. Yet, throughout the mission, they’ve maintained a steady connection with NASA’s team in Houston, Texas. This link has offered them reassurance from afar. But soon, that connection will vanish. As the spacecraft passes behind the Moon at 23:47 BST on Monday, radio and laser signals enabling two-way communication will be obstructed by the Moon itself. For roughly 40 minutes, the four astronauts will experience a moment of complete separation from Earth.
During this period, they’ll be surrounded by the vastness of space, each reflecting on their own emotions and observations. Victor Glover, one of the crew members, expressed hope that the world could find unity during this time.
“When we’re behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let’s take that as an opportunity,” he told BBC News before the mission. “Let’s pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.”
A Legacy of Isolation
More than 50 years ago, Apollo astronauts faced similar moments of disconnection. The Apollo 11 crew, for instance, encountered a 48-minute silence as their craft passed the Moon’s far side. Michael Collins, who orbited the Moon alone while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface, described the experience in his 1974 memoir Carrying the Fire. He felt “truly alone” and “isolated from any known life,” though he didn’t experience fear or loneliness. In later interviews, he highlighted the tranquility of the radio silence, noting it provided a respite from mission control’s constant requests.
Tracking the Unknown
On Earth, the blackout will test the resolve of those monitoring the mission. At the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, southwest England, a massive antenna is gathering data from the Orion capsule. It’s meticulously tracking the spacecraft’s position and relaying updates to NASA headquarters. Matt Cosby, Goonhilly’s chief technology officer, shared his perspective with the BBC:
“This is the first time we’re tracking a spacecraft with humans on it. We’re going to get slightly nervous as it goes behind the Moon, and then we’ll be very excited when we see it again, because we know that they’re all safe.”
Despite the temporary disruption, efforts are underway to make such gaps a relic of the past. Cosby emphasized that continuous communication will be vital as NASA and global agencies establish a lunar base.
“For a sustainable presence on the Moon, you need the full comms—full 24 hours a day, even on the far side, because the far side will want to be explored as well,” he said.
Future of Lunar Communication
Projects like the European Space Agency’s Moonlight initiative aim to deploy a satellite network around the Moon. This will ensure uninterrupted contact, even when spacecraft are on the far side. For the Artemis crew, the 40-minute blackout offers a chance to focus entirely on lunar activities. They’ll engage in detailed observations, capturing images, analyzing the Moon’s geology, and appreciating its beauty. When the signal returns, the world will share in their triumph, witnessing the breathtaking moments of space exploration once again.
