technology
Artemis II Astronauts Complete Lunar Flyby and Reestablish Contact After Communications Blackout
NASA's Artemis II mission crew achieved a record distance from Earth of over 248,655 miles on April 6, surpassing the Apollo 13 record from 1970. The four astronauts experienced a 40-minute communications blackout during the lunar flyby as the moon blocked signals to Earth's Deep Space Network. Contact was reestablished, with the crew reporting views of Earth setting over the moon's horizon.
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NASA's Artemis II mission crew reached a distance of more than 248,655 miles from Earth on April 6, exceeding the previous record set by Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970. The four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen—flew aboard the Orion spacecraft, marking the farthest any humans have traveled from Earth.
The mission, launched on April 5, involves a 10-day journey around the moon without landing.
During the lunar flyby, the crew approached the moon's closest point, where Earth appeared to set over the lunar horizon. This phase included a 40-minute communications blackout as the moon temporarily obstructed signals to NASA's Deep Space Network, a global system of radio antennas.
The blackout occurred because the moon blocked direct line-of-sight communication with mission control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
After reestablishing contact, astronaut Christina Koch commented on the reconnection.
The crew observed the sun hidden by the moon for approximately one hour during the flyby. Mission commander Reid Wiseman addressed the achievement, noting the spacecraft's continued journey into space before returning to Earth.
“It’s so great to hear from Earth again.”
The Artemis II mission tests systems for future lunar landings, including Orion's life support and navigation. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Wiseman, Koch, and Glover, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Hansen. This is the first crewed Artemis flight following uncrewed test missions.
