The 40 Minutes of Silence: Artemis II Astronauts Lost Behind the Moon

Mon Apr 06 2026 22:58:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As the Artemis II crew journeys behind the Moon, they'll experience a profound moment of solitude and silence, losing all communication with Earth for about 40 minutes. This unprecedented journey echoes the experiences of previous lunar missions, delving into the human aspect of space exploration.

The Artemis II mission will see astronauts disconnect from Earth for 40 minutes as they pass behind the Moon, creating a moment of solitude reminiscent of past lunar expeditions. Astronauts are encouraged to embrace this time for lunar observation while crews back home hold their breath in anticipation of re-establishing contact.

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 hope that the world would use this time to come together. When we're behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let's take that as an opportunity, he told BBC News. Let's pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.

Back on Earth, the blackout will be a tense time for those responsible for maintaining contact with the spacecraft. At Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, a huge antenna will be tracking signals from the Orion capsule. Matt Cosby, the station's chief technology officer, mentioned that they would feel 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.

During the blackout, the crew will shift focus to lunar observation, studying the Moon's geology and capturing images, with the anticipation of reconnecting heightening the experience.