NASA names Artemis III crew to test Orion lander docking
NASA just named the four astronauts heading up Artemis III, set to launch in 2027.
Commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano (from ESA), and mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas will lead the way.
Instead of landing on the moon this time, their job is to test how NASA's Orion spacecraft connects with lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin while orbiting Earth, an important step before humans return to the moon.
Tests pave way for Artemis IV
Artemis III is all about making sure everything works for future moon landings.
The crew will check docking, life support, communications, and propulsion by linking Orion with the landers between 160km and 2,000km above Earth.
These tests pave the way for Artemis IV in 2028, the mission that aims to put people back on the lunar surface.