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, traveling through the darkness of space. It's a profound moment of solitude and silence.
Artemis pilot Victor Glover expressed hope that the world can use the time to come together during this blackout. He mentioned, When we're behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let's take that as an opportunity. Let's pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.
This situation resembles the experiences of Apollo astronauts, particularly Michael Collins, who felt truly alone when he lost contact with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during their historic lunar landing. Collins later reflected on how this silence offered peace and a break from mission control's requests.
Back on Earth, the blackout will be a tense time for those responsible for maintaining contact with the spacecraft. At the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, antennas are constantly monitoring the Orion capsule's position. Matt Cosby, the station's chief technology officer, admitted they would feel nervous as the spacecraft disappears behind the Moon but would be excited once contact is re-established.
The Artemis astronauts will use this time without communication to focus on the Moon, dedicating their blackout period to observation, imaging, and studying the lunar geology.
As they emerge from the Moon's shadow, signals will resume, allowing the astronauts to share their unprecedented views from space with the eager world below.
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, traveling through the darkness of space. It's a profound moment of solitude and silence.
Artemis pilot Victor Glover expressed hope that the world can use the time to come together during this blackout. He mentioned, When we're behind the Moon, out of contact with everybody, let's take that as an opportunity. Let's pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.
This situation resembles the experiences of Apollo astronauts, particularly Michael Collins, who felt truly alone when he lost contact with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin during their historic lunar landing. Collins later reflected on how this silence offered peace and a break from mission control's requests.
Back on Earth, the blackout will be a tense time for those responsible for maintaining contact with the spacecraft. At the Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, antennas are constantly monitoring the Orion capsule's position. Matt Cosby, the station's chief technology officer, admitted they would feel nervous as the spacecraft disappears behind the Moon but would be excited once contact is re-established.
The Artemis astronauts will use this time without communication to focus on the Moon, dedicating their blackout period to observation, imaging, and studying the lunar geology.
As they emerge from the Moon's shadow, signals will resume, allowing the astronauts to share their unprecedented views from space with the eager world below.
