NASA announced new details about Artemis III, one of the most ambitious human spaceflight missions planned in decades, and introduced the four astronauts and backup crew who will fly the mission. Artemis III, scheduled for 2027, will conduct a series of complex tests in Earth orbit that are considered important for Artemis IV, the first manned mission to the moon’s south pole, planned for 2028.
The mission will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a NASA Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and send the Orion spacecraft and its crew into low Earth orbit. Once Orion completes initial system checks, it will make its first attempt to rendezvous and dock with a test version of the lunar module being developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. The mission is designed to evaluate how Orion and the lander will work together, including software, communications, propulsion systems and other key technologies.
Artemis III crew announced
NASA has named the following astronauts to the Artemis III crew.
- Randy Bresnik, Commander
- Luca Parmitano, pilot of ESA (European Space Agency)
- Andre Douglas, Mission Specialist
- Frank Rubio, Mission Specialist
NASA astronaut Bob Hines was selected as a backup crew member.
Astronauts will immediately begin training on the Orion system while supporting the development and testing of the Blue Origin and SpaceX lander prototypes that will be used during the mission.
“Today, we are building on the extraordinary foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts and taking another bold step toward returning humans to the Moon,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Their achievements have reignited global excitement for exploration, and now they pass the torch to the Artemis III team of Randy, Luca, Frank, and Andre. Artemis III The mission will test complex rendezvous and docking operations, demonstrating the power of American innovation and international partnerships as we advance the technology that will one day take us deep into the solar system. The Artemis III astronauts, along with ESA, its international partners, and tens of thousands of talented people in government and industry, are carrying on the hopes and dreams of future generations, ushering in a new golden age of exploration, just as the Apollo astronauts did for so many of us. ”
Parmitano’s mission marks the first time that an ESA astronaut has been selected for an Artemis mission.
ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher said: “Artemis III will push the limits of spacecraft operations in orbit. Mr. Luka’s role as pilot reflects the depth of Europe’s expertise in human spaceflight, drawing on his extensive experience operating in high-pressure conditions.” “At the same time, ESA’s European Service Module will once again provide the critical capability to power Orion, demonstrating Europe’s enduring role at the very heart of the Artemis program. The news announced today from Houston is a powerful recognition of ESA’s role in enabling humanity’s return to the Moon, and is an important step forward in our partnership with NASA. Europeans can be proud to be part of this exciting journey.”
Artemis III hardware and mission preparation
NASA and its partners continue to prepare for the mission.
This summer, engineers will work on Orion’s crew and service modules and install the spacecraft’s docking system for its first flight. Testing of Orion’s heat shield is also continuing, with each individual heat shield block undergoing ultrasonic inspection prior to installation.
Research on the SLS rocket is also progressing. The team is currently integrating the engine section with the rest of the core stage before installing the four RS-25 engines later this summer. All solid rocket booster segments have arrived at Kennedy Space Center, and mobile launcher upgrades are on schedule. Stacking of the rocket is expected to begin this summer. NASA is also designing and manufacturing a spacer to replace Artemis III’s upper stage.
Blue Origin is developing a manned version of the Blue Moon lunar lander, and SpaceX is developing a manned lunar version of Starship. Both companies are building the Artemis III test vehicle. NASA works closely with companies throughout design, development, testing, and evaluation, sharing expertise gained from decades of human spaceflight experience.
At the announcement event, NASA also outlined how Artemis III operations will help improve the launch cadence, expand production capacity, and strengthen the supply chain for the entire Artemis program.
The mission follows the successful Artemis II flight in April and is intended to help NASA prepare for future human missions to Mars.
Artemis III Mission Mechanisms
Artemis III will have multiple launches of some of the most powerful rockets ever built.
The first launch will put Blue Origin’s lander pathfinder into orbit, where it can remain for several weeks while awaiting a crew. NASA then plans to launch Orion and its astronauts on SLS. After reaching orbit, Orion will rendezvous with and dock with Blue Origin’s test lander. The two spacecraft will remain connected for approximately two days while the crew conducts tests and demonstrations, including entering the lander.
After completing these activities, Orion will separate and await SpaceX’s Starship Pathfinder. Once launched, Starship will join Orion in orbit and remain docked for about a day while engineers and astronauts perform additional tests and system evaluations.
After completing the docking demonstration, Orion will return its crew to Earth. The spacecraft will fall into the Pacific Ocean, and NASA and the U.S. Navy will retrieve the astronauts.
The crew is expected to spend about two weeks in space, but the final mission duration will depend on the launch schedule, the timing of rendezvous, and the success of docking operations.
Introducing the Artemis III astronauts
Artemis III will be Randy Bresnik’s third trip into space. He first flew aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2009 on the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station. He then flew to the station in a Soyuz MS-05, where he served as flight engineer for Expedition 52 and commander of Expedition 53. Bresnik, a California native, graduated from The Citadel with a degree in mathematics and joined NASA’s astronaut corps in 2004. A retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, he has accumulated a wide range of experience. He has more than 7,000 flight hours in 95 aircraft types and currently helps oversee spacecraft and systems development for the Artemis mission.
Luca Parmitano is also scheduled to make his third spaceflight. Elected by ESA in 2009, he first visited the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft in 2013 as part of the Italian Space Agency (ASI)’s first long-term station mission. He returned in 2019 on a Soyuz MS-13 to serve as Expedition 61 commander, becoming the first Italian and third European to command the base. Parmitano has degrees in political science and experimental flight test engineering and has logged more than 2,000 flight hours in 40 types of aircraft.
This will be Frank Rubio’s second space flight. He launched on a Soyuz MS-22 on September 21, 2022, and returned on September 27, 2023 after spending 371 days in orbit, setting a record for the longest single space mission by an American astronaut. Mr. Rubio, who was selected by NASA in 2017, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and later earned his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. He served over 28 years in the U.S. Army as an aviator, physician, and astronaut.
Andre Douglas will make his first space trip. The 2021 NASA Astronaut of the Year previously served as a member of Artemis II’s backup and completion crew. Douglas graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a degree in mechanical engineering and went on to earn four advanced degrees from George Washington University, including a doctorate in systems engineering. His career includes research in Coast Guard search and rescue operations, maritime salvage missions, drug interdiction operations, and autonomous systems, space technology, and undersea platforms at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Reserve astronaut Bob Hines will train with the main crew and potentially replace astronauts who are unable to fly the mission. Hines previously served as a pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station. He was selected by NASA in 2017 to work as a research pilot at Johnson Space Center and is a U.S. Air Force colonel with more than 27 years of experience as an instructor pilot, fighter pilot, and test pilot.
As NASA continues its Artemis program, it plans to send astronauts on increasingly ambitious missions to explore more of the Moon, support scientific discoveries, create economic opportunities, establish a long-term human presence on the Moon, and build the experience needed for the first human trip to Mars.
