The 40 minutes when the Artemis crew loses contact with the Earth
The 40-Minute Silence of Artemis
As the Artemis astronauts venture deeper into space, they will soon experience a moment of complete disconnection from Earth. This will occur when the spacecraft passes behind the Moon, cutting off all radio and laser signals for about 40 minutes. During this time, the crew will be alone in the vastness of space, each reflecting on their journey and the solitude it brings.
A Moment of Isolation
Victor Glover, one of the Artemis pilots, expressed hope that this brief silence could serve as a reminder for humanity to unite. “When we’re behind the Moon, out of contact with everyone, let’s take that as an opportunity,” he said in an interview with BBC News. “Let’s pray, hope, and send your good thoughts and feelings so we can return with the crew.”
Historically, such moments of silence were not unfamiliar to space explorers. Over half a century ago, Apollo astronauts, including Michael Collins, faced similar isolation during their lunar missions. In 1969, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the Moon’s surface, Collins orbited alone, his craft temporarily out of reach during the Moon’s shadow.
“I felt ‘truly alone’ and ‘isolated from any known life,’ but there was no fear or loneliness,” Collins wrote in his 1974 memoir, *Carrying the Fire*. He later described the radio silence as a time of peace, offering respite from the continuous demands of mission control.
Back on Earth, the blackout presents a challenging period for teams maintaining contact with the spacecraft. At Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall, a massive antenna tracks the Orion capsule, relaying its position to NASA HQ. Matt Cosby, Goonhilly’s chief technology officer, shared the tension of this moment: “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 they’re all safe.”
Looking Beyond the Silence
The Artemis crew’s time without Earthly communication will focus entirely on lunar exploration. They will dedicate the 40-minute window to capturing images, analyzing the Moon’s terrain, and admiring its beauty. When the signal is re-established, the world will share in their relief and the awe of their discoveries.
Efforts to eliminate future blackouts are already underway. Programs like the European Space Agency’s Moonlight aim to deploy a satellite network around the Moon, ensuring continuous communication even on its far side. For sustained lunar exploration, such a system is crucial, as Cosby emphasized: “A sustainable presence on the Moon requires full comms—24 hours a day, even on the far side, to enable exploration of that region.”
