NASA names 4 astronauts for 2027 Artemis III moon test
NASA just named the four astronauts heading out on Artemis III, their big moon mission set for 2027.
Announced today, this crew will build on the success of Artemis II, this year's flight that took astronauts around the moon for the first time since the 1970s.
Instead of landing, Artemis III is all about testing new docking and lunar lander systems to get ready for future Moonwalks.
Randy Bresnik leads Artemis III crew
Leading the team is Randy Bresnik, a seasoned astronaut and former International Space Station commander.
Joining him are pilot Luca Parmitano (the first Italian to command the International Space Station), US Army helicopter pilot Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas, a US Coast Guard Reserve commander making his space debut.
If all goes well, NASA plans to actually land astronauts on the moon with Artemis IV in 2028.