Dark side of the Moon — Artemis II mission in planned 40 minute signal loss as spacecraft passes behind Earth's satellite

"NASA’s Artemis II mission has entered a critical phase as the spacecraft moved behind the Moon, temporarily cutting off communication with Earth as it continues its deep-space lunar trajectory. Controllers confirmed the planned brief loss of signal lasting around 40 minutes, a routine occurrence during the spacecraft’s far-side passage, when it moves to its most distant point from Earth and out of direct line of contact. Footage shows the spacecraft travelling against the backdrop of the Moon, with the Earth visible beyond it, as the mission approaches the far-side segment of its flight path, before emerging from the other side. The mission is the first crewed flight in NASA’s Artemis programme and a key step toward returning humans to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years. It is designed to test deep-space navigation, spacecraft systems and life-support operations ahead of Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon and support future long-term exploration beyond Earth orbit."

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