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Moon Mission Faces Signal Blackout Tonight
6 Apr
Summary
- Artemis II astronauts will experience a 40-minute communication blackout.
- The crew will reach their closest point to the Moon at 4,070 miles.
- The mission will set a new record for the farthest humans from Earth.
The Artemis II astronauts are preparing for a significant communication blackout as they orbit the Moon. Tonight, the Orion capsule will pass behind the Moon, causing a planned loss of contact for approximately 40 minutes, expected to begin around 11:47 PM UK time. This period of silence will occur as the crew reaches their closest approach to the lunar surface, just 4,070 miles above it.
This mission milestone, occurring shortly after midnight UK time, presents an opportunity for the crew to observe the Moon's far side and capture numerous photographs. Earlier in the evening, they will have already achieved a historic feat, traveling farther from Earth than any humans before, surpassing the Apollo 13 record. The mission, launched last Wednesday, has been generally successful, though it encountered an issue with a faulty toilet.
Following their lunar flyby, the Orion spacecraft will commence its journey back to Earth, with splashdown scheduled in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, on Friday. NASA plans to live stream coverage of the evening's events, though signal quality may be affected by the vast distance.
