NASA names Artemis III crew as agency moves toward 2027 Moon mission
NASA has announced the four astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission, marking a key step in the agency’s preparations for its next crewed flight under the Artemis lunar exploration program, according to an official NASA statement, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The mission, targeted for launch in 2027, will not land on the Moon. Instead, it will focus on critical testing in Earth orbit to validate the systems required for future lunar landings.
The Artemis III crew consists of astronauts Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Randy Bresnik, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.
During Tuesday’s event, NASA astronaut Bob Hines was announced as a backup crew member.
“Today we take another bold step in humanity’s return to the Moon, building on the extraordinary foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
This is the first time an ESA astronaut has been assigned to a mission in the Artemis program.
“Artemis III will push the boundaries of spacecraft operations in orbit. Luca’s assignment as pilot reflects the depth of European expertise in human spaceflight and draws on his extensive operational experience in high-pressure situations,” said Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s director general.
NASA said the mission will involve the Orion spacecraft and commercial lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, with the crew conducting docking and rendezvous demonstrations essential for upcoming Moon missions.
Officials emphasized that Artemis III is a major step toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon and toward preparing for future exploration beyond Earth's orbit.
In total, the crew is expected to remain in space for about two weeks, with the exact mission length to be determined in real time based on launch, rendezvous, and docked operations.
The Artemis program is part of NASA’s broader Moon to Mars Architecture strategy, which aims to send astronauts on increasingly challenging missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery and economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that NASA’s Artemis II Orion capsule had returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida after completing the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.
