On April 6, the Orion spacecraft will pass behind the far side of the Moon—and communication with the crew will stop for 41 minutes.
This moment is known as a communications blackout, and it’s a completely expected part of the mission.
As Orion moves behind the far side of the Moon, the Moon blocks all signals between the spacecraft and Earth. No messages, no data—just silence.
Even systems like NASA’s Deep Space Network can’t send signals through the Moon.
For roughly 41 minutes, the four astronauts will operate independently, relying fully on onboard systems and their training.
Shortly after, as Orion re-emerges, communication is restored and signals return.
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