In brief
During their journey, the Artemis crew will experience a unique moment of isolation as communication with Earth is lost for about 40 minutes while they travel behind the Moon. The astronauts will turn their attention to lunar observation while they are cut off from mission control, drawing parallels to previous missions, including Apollo 11, where astronauts also faced moments of radio silence.
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), 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 hopes for the world to unite during this moment, saying, When we're behind the Moon... let's pray, hope, send your good thoughts and feelings that we get back in contact with the crew.This period of isolation mirrors the experiences of Apollo astronauts, particularly Michael Collins, who described feelings of solitude but also tranquility during similar periods of lost contact.As they await reconnection, the crew's focus will shift to the lunar landscape, devoting their time to observation and scientific study, enhancing our understanding of the Moon and its geology. When they do re-establish contact, it will not just be a relief, but also a moment of sharing extraordinary views from a place few have seen.
