NASA announced this Tuesday the four astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission, a flight lasting about two weeks designed to test essential technologies before the return of humans to the surface of the Moon, more than 50 years after the last landings of the Apollo program.
The team, scheduled to launch at the end of 2027, is made up of three NASA astronauts — rookie Andre Douglas, space record holder Frank Rubio and experienced test pilot Randy Bresnik — and Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, from the European Space Agency (ESA).
The Artemis III mission was conceived as a preparatory step for a manned lunar landing. The main focus is on evaluating the coupling of the Orion capsule with a lunar landing module, reducing risks for the real operation that the agency intends to carry out in 2028.
Although the definitive docking will take place in lunar orbit in future missions, Artemis III will carry out tests in low Earth orbit (LEO), a region close to the planet where the International Space Station operates.
The crew will take off from Florida aboard the Orion capsule, the same model that performed the Artemis II lunar flyby in April, and will remain in low Earth orbit for most of the mission.
At least one lunar lander will be launched separately. It is not yet defined whether it will be SpaceX’s Starship, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon or both. In orbit, the modules will meet Orion, allowing docking and possible crew transfers.
The agency indicated the possibility of testing the two commercial spacecraft on the same mission. In recent months, NASA has encouraged competition between SpaceX and Blue Origin, which maintain contracts to develop manned landers. Both companies have accumulated delays and technical challenges in development.
During the announcement press conference, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman reinforced that Orion must first dock with the Blue Origin module and then with the SpaceX module.
Both Starship and Blue Moon still face uncertain timelines. Blue Origin recorded a significant setback last month, with the explosion of a New Glenn rocket during ground testing — the same vehicle planned to launch the Blue Moon module.
Isaacman also confirmed that NASA intends to carry out the wet general test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket by the end of the year.
The definition of Artemis III occurred more quickly and surprisingly than initially anticipated.
In February, Isaacman announced the inclusion of this mission, changing the previous schedule that had anticipated jumping straight to a lunar landing after Artemis II.
The administrator argued that going straight from flyover to landing would represent too risky a technological leap.
“We didn’t go straight to Apollo 11,” Isaacman recalled. “We had the Mercury Program, Gemini and several Apollo missions before the first landing.” The previous plan, according to him, “was not a path to success”.
On Tuesday, the agency provided one of the most detailed descriptions yet of the mission profile, which is expected to include dockings with modules from both companies.
According to Jeremy Parsons, Artemis program manager, Orion will spend around two days docked with Blue Moon. This will allow astronauts to test systems, including life support.
Then, Orion would dock with SpaceX’s Starship for approximately one day. It was not known whether the crew would enter the SpaceX module during the test.
The mission should end with a landing in the Pacific Ocean.
With the current schedule, the four astronauts will have about a year to prepare. By comparison, the Artemis II crew trained for three years, influenced by program delays.
Randy Bresnik will be the commander
Randy Bresnik, 58, who goes by “Komrade,” joined NASA in 2004. He flew on the space shuttle in 2009 and the Russian Soyuz in 2017. He most recently served as assistant to the chief astronaut, managing knowledge for the development of Artemis vehicles.
Bresnik will command the mission. “As a crew, we are honored to be the link between Artemis II, carried out a few months ago, and Artemis IV, which will bring the first humans back to the Moon,” he declared.
Andre Douglas is the debutant
Andre Douglas, 40, was selected by NASA in 2021 and served as a reserve on Artemis II, completing all main crew training. He will serve as a mission specialist.
Born in Miami, Douglas has an engineering degree from the Coast Guard Academy and multiple advanced degrees. Before NASA, he served in the Coast Guard and did research for the agency.
Frank Rubio, record holder for permanence
Frank Rubio, 50, a mission specialist, spent 371 days in space on a mission to the ISS — the American record for longest flight. He is a doctor, flight surgeon and former Army aviator with combat experience.
Luca Parmitano, ESA pilot
Luca Parmitano, pilot of the mission, has two space trips, six spacewalks and was the first Italian to command the ISS. He is a test pilot with extensive aircraft experience and handled a critical emergency during a spacewalk.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher highlighted Parmitano’s composure and competence, including his calm reaction to the water-on-helmet incident.
