// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Blackout Period
A temporary interval during which communication with a spacecraft is impossible or severely degraded, often due to atmospheric interference during re-entry or when the spacecraft is behind a celestial body.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A blackout period is a predefined or emergent interval during which radio communication with a spacecraft is interrupted or severely attenuated, commonly caused by plasma sheath formation during atmospheric re-entry, occultation by a celestial body, or solar conjunction, preventing data transmission and command reception.
BACKGROUND
Israel has a highly developed free-market economy. The country has a sophisticated welfare state, a powerful modern military said to possess a nuclear-weapons capability with a full nuclear triad, modern infrastructure equivalent to developed countries, and a high-technology sector competitively on par with Silicon Valley. It has the second-largest number of startup companies in the world after the United States, and the third-largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies after the U.S. and China. American companies, such as Intel, Microsoft, and Apple, built their first overseas research and development facilities in Israel. More than 400 high-tech multi-national corporations, such as IBM, Google, Nvidia, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Facebook and Motorola have opened R&D centers throughout the country. As of 2025, the IMF estimated Israel has the 25th largest economy in the world by nominal GDP, and one of the biggest economies in the Middle East.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Communication loss
- Signal outage
- Radio silence
- Comms blackout
USAGE NOTE
During re-entry, spacecraft experience a blackout period due to superheated plasma.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Blackout Period.
Developing advanced communication systems, particularly optical communication, and autonomous spacecraft operations to mitigate communication blackouts during re-entry and deep space missions.
Implementing robust space communication strategies and researching solutions to manage and reduce the impact of communication blackouts for Earth observation, exploration, and re-entry missions.
Designing spacecraft (Dragon, Starship) that navigate re-entry blackout periods and developing resilient satellite communication networks to minimize service interruptions and enhance autonomy during signal loss.
Developing advanced satellite communication systems and spacecraft with enhanced autonomy to ensure reliable operations and data transmission, even during predicted or unexpected communication blackouts.
Involved in the design of spacecraft and communication architectures that address the challenges of communication blackouts, focusing on maintaining connectivity and operational control during critical mission phases.
Conducting research into overcoming re-entry communication blackouts through innovative technologies and developing autonomous spacecraft systems for effective operation during periods of lost contact.
Developing reusable launch vehicles and space platforms that face re-entry communication challenges, focusing on technologies to maintain or restore connectivity during blackout periods.
Designing and operating launch vehicles and spacecraft that encounter re-entry blackouts, and researching ways to improve communication and operational autonomy during these critical phases.