Anonymousabout 2 hours ago
On April 6, 2026, the four Artemis II astronauts became the most isolated humans in history when the Moon blocked all communication with Earth for 41 minutes during their lunar flyby. The planned blackout—comparable to those experienced during Apollo—tested Orion's autonomous systems and crew decision-making while raising questions about why NASA chose not to deploy a relay satellite, the program's ballooning costs, and whether the flyby meaningfully advances capabilities for the eventual Artemis III lunar landing.