Summary
NASA temporarily lost communication with the Artemis II astronauts when the Orion spacecraft moved behind the moon, blocking radio signals. This loss of contact was expected and part of the mission plan, lasting about 40 minutes before communication resumed.
Key Facts
- Communication was lost at 6:44 p.m. ET as Orion moved behind the moon.
- The blackout lasted roughly 40 minutes, as expected by NASA.
- The Artemis II mission is the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis program.
- The mission tests Orion’s systems for future lunar landings.
- The spacecraft uses NASA’s Deep Space Network for communication.
- Contact with Earth is restored once Orion clears the moon's far side.
- The Artemis II mission began on April 1 and will last about 10 days.
- The moon is about 238,855 miles away from Earth on average.
