NASA has announced the four primary and one backup crew members for the Artemis III mission, a crucial step in humanity’s return to the Moon. The mission, slated for 2027, will conduct a series of challenging tests in Earth orbit, paving the way for Artemis IV’s planned human landing at the lunar South Pole in 2028.
The Artemis III mission will see NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket launch the crew aboard the Orion spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida into low Earth orbit. Following checks of Orion’s systems, the spacecraft will demonstrate its capability to rendezvous and dock with one or both of the testing versions of American commercial human landing systems being developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. This highly coordinated mission involves a multi-launch campaign using the world’s most powerful rockets, testing integrated hardware such as system interfaces, software, propulsion, and communication between Orion and the landing modules.
The crew assignments are as follows:
- Commander: Randy Bresnik
- Pilot: Luca Parmitano
- Mission Specialist 1: Christina Hammock Koch
- Mission Specialist 2: Victor J. Glover Jr.
- Backup Crew: Bob Hines
During a briefing on Tuesday, NASA astronaut Bob Hines was named as the backup crew member. The crew will immediately begin training on Orion spacecraft systems and will also assist in the development and operations of test versions of the Blue Origin and SpaceX landing modules.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated, “Today, we take another step in humanity’s return to the Moon, building upon the exceptional foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts. Their success reignited global excitement for exploration, and now they pass the torch to the Artemis III crew: Randy, Luca, Frank, and Andre. Artemis III will showcase the power of American innovation and international partnership by testing complex rendezvous and docking operations and advancing technologies that will one day carry us deeper into the solar system. This mission will require the most impressive heavy-lift rocket launch coordination in history, leveraging the capabilities of teams across government and the spaceflight community. The Artemis III astronauts, alongside our ESA and international partners, are embarking on an era of exploration, carrying the hopes and dreams of future generations, much like the Apollo astronauts did for many of us, working alongside tens of thousands of the best and brightest across the agency and industry.”
This marks the first time an ESA astronaut has been assigned to an Artemis mission.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher commented, “Artemis III will push the boundaries of space vehicle operations in orbit. Luca’s assignment as pilot reflects the depth of European expertise in human spaceflight and builds upon his extensive operational experience in high-pressure situations. Furthermore, ESA’s European Service Module will once again provide critical capabilities powering Orion, demonstrating Europe’s enduring role at the heart of the Artemis program. The news from Houston today is a strong recognition of ESA’s role in enabling humanity’s return to the Moon and a significant advancement in our partnership with NASA. Europeans can be proud to be part of this exciting journey.”
Mission Progress
NASA and its partners are continuing preparations for the test flight.
Engineers will integrate the Orion crew and service modules this summer, incorporating the spacecraft’s first-time docking system. Heat shield testing is ongoing, with individual blocks undergoing ultrasonic inspections before being mounted to the heat shield structure.
Rocket preparations are also advancing significantly. SLS technicians are integrating the engine section with the main core, ahead of the assembly of four RS-25 engines this summer. With all solid rocket booster segments at NASA Kennedy and mobile launcher refurbishment work progressing on schedule, rocket stacking is also slated to begin this summer. NASA is continuing the design and manufacturing of an interstage that will change out the upper stage on Artemis III.
Blue Origin is developing a crewed lunar version of its Blue Moon lander, while SpaceX is developing a crewed lunar lander version of its Starship. Both companies are producing test vehicles for Artemis III. NASA is supporting both lander providers through the design, development, test, and evaluation processes, sharing institutional experience and capabilities from previous missions.
Alongside updates from NASA and both commercial partners, the agency discussed details about the planned operations for Artemis III during the event. These operations will support increased mission cadence, boost production, and encourage supply chain improvements for the Artemis program.
The Artemis III mission builds upon the successful Artemis II flight, completed in April, and will help the agency prepare to send the first astronauts to Mars.
Artemis III involves the launch of the world’s most powerful rockets in quick succession. Blue Origin’s lander prototype will be launched first and await the crew, with the capability to remain in orbit for multiple weeks. NASA will send the astronauts in Orion to Earth orbit via SLS, then they will rendezvous in space with the company’s test lander prototype and remain docked for approximately two days for testing and technology demonstrations, during which time they will enter the lander.
After completing docked operations with Blue Origin, Orion will separate and await Starship. SpaceX’s Starship prototype will be launched and rendezvous with Orion, remaining attached for approximately one day for checks and testing. Following this, Orion and its crew will separate and return home, making a safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, where a U.S. Navy and NASA recovery team will retrieve the astronauts.
In total, the crew is expected to spend approximately two weeks in space, with the exact mission duration determined in real-time based on launch, rendezvous, and docked operations.
More About the Artemis III Crew Members
This will be Bresnik’s third mission in space. He launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis for the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station in 2009. He later flew to the station aboard the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, where he served as a flight engineer for Expedition 52 and commander for Expedition 53. A California native, Bresnik graduated from The Citadel with a degree in mathematics and was selected by NASA as part of the 2004 astronaut candidate class. A retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, Bresnik has a flight record of over 7,000 hours in 95 different aircraft types and is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Since 2018, he has served as deputy chief of the Astronaut Office, overseeing the development and testing of spacecraft and systems that will be worked during Artemis missions.
Artemis III will also be Parmitano’s third spaceflight. Selected as an astronaut by ESA in 2009, Parmitano first flew as a flight engineer for the Italian Space Agency’s (ASI) first long-duration mission to the station, launching on a Soyuz from Baikonur in 2013. He returned to the orbital laboratory in 2019 aboard Soyuz MS-13, where he served as commander of Expedition 61, becoming the third European and first Italian to command the station. Parmitano holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Naples Federico II and a master’s degree in experimental flight test engineering from the Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace in Toulouse, France. A graduate of the Italian Air Force Academy, Parmitano became a test pilot in 2007 and was promoted to colonel in 2019. He has over 2,000 flight hours in 40 different aircraft types.
Rubio is on her second space journey. She launched to the station aboard the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft from Baikonur on September 21, 2022, and returned on September 27, 2023, spending 371 days in orbit, setting a record for the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut. Rubio was selected by NASA as part of the 2017 astronaut candidate class. A Florida native, Rubio graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1998, earned a medical doctorate from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 2010, and has served in the U.S. Army for over 28 years as an aviator, physician, and astronaut.
This will be Douglas’s first spaceflight. Selected by NASA as part of the 2021 astronaut candidate class, Douglas previously served as an alternate and final preparation team member for the agency’s Artemis II mission. A Virginia native, Douglas holds four postgraduate degrees from various institutions, including a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a doctorate in systems engineering from George Washington University. During her service in the Coast Guard, she conducted search and rescue, maritime interdiction, and counter-narcotics operations. Additionally, her work at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory involved the design and testing of multi-domain autonomous vehicles, space exploration systems, and numerous undersea warfare platforms.
Serving as the backup crew member, Hines will train alongside Bresnik, Parmitano, Rubio, and Douglas. He will join the Artemis III crew should one of the prime crew members be unable to participate in the mission. Hines previously served as pilot for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station. Selected by NASA as part of the 2017 astronaut candidate class, Hines worked as a research pilot at the agency’s Johnson Space Center before his selection. A colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Hines served as an instructor pilot, combat pilot, and test pilot during his more than 27 years of service.
As part of an era of innovation and exploration, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly challenging missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discoveries, economic benefits, establish a persistent human presence on the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for the first human missions to Mars.
Learn more about NASA’s Artemis program:
–END–
Bethany Stevens / Amber Jacobson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
[email protected] / [email protected]
Anna Schneider
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
[email protected]
