NASA announces crew for historic Artemis III Moon mission
What's the story
NASA has officially announced the crew for its next major Moon mission, Artemis III. The team includes Andre Douglas as Mission Specialist, Frank Rubio as Astronaut, Luca Parmitano as Pilot, and Randy Bresnik as Commander. Parmitano is an Italian belonging to the European Space Agency, while the rest are Americans. The historic flight will take place in 2027 and is a key part of NASA's long-term plan to return humans to the Moon under the Artemis program.
Mission details
Artemis III to demonstrate 'American innovation, international partnership'
The Artemis III mission will conduct a series of critical tests in Earth orbit, which are vital for the success of Artemis IV. Artemis IV would be the first crewed mission to the lunar South Pole, scheduled for 2028. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said this is "another bold step in humanity's return to the Moon." He emphasized that this mission will show "the power of American innovation and international partnership."
Objectives
Preparing for future crewed missions to Mars
The Artemis III mission will launch NASA's Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft and crew from Florida's Kennedy Space Center into low Earth orbit. After a series of system checks, Orion will demonstrate rendezvous and docking operations with test versions of commercial human landing systems being developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. This is a major step in preparing for future crewed missions to Mars.
Crew preparation
Backup astronaut named for Artemis III mission
Along with the main crew, astronaut Bob Hines has been named as the backup crew member for Artemis III. The team will start training on Orion spacecraft systems immediately. They will also assist in developing and operationally testing lunar landing systems being built by Blue Origin and SpaceX. This mission is a continuation of the success of Artemis II, which was completed in April, marking another major milestone in NASA's long-term exploration plans.