NASA officially announced the crew members of Artemis 3, the mission set to launch next year to test key maneuvers and systems before the anticipated return of astronauts to the Moon scheduled for 2028.
The U.S. space agency confirmed the names during a ceremony held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The team will consist of three astronauts from NASA and one representative from the European Space Agency (ESA).
NASA officially announced who will be part of the Artemis 3 crew
Who makes up the Artemis 3 crew
The mission will feature three astronauts with previous spaceflight experience and one member who will be making their first mission outside of Earth.
Randy Bresnik (NASA) – Mission Commander.
Luca Parmitano (ESA) – Pilot.
Andre Douglas (NASA) – Mission Specialist.
Frank Rubio (NASA) – Mission Specialist.
Additionally, Bob Hines has been designated as the backup astronaut for Artemis 3.
Who is Randy Bresnik, the commander of Artemis 3
Randy Bresnik has been with NASA since 2004. Before becoming an astronaut, he was a combat pilot in the United States Marine Corps.
Who is Randy Bresnik, the commander of Artemis 3
In 2009, he participated in the STS-129 mission aboard the Atlantis shuttle and completed a six-hour spacewalk. He is currently involved in the development and testing of the Artemis program.
Luca Parmitano will be the mission pilot
The Italian Luca Parmitano, an ESA astronaut, will serve as the pilot.
Before joining the European space program in 2009, he had an extensive career in the Italian Air Force as a test pilot, accumulating over 2,000 flight hours in more than 40 types of aircraft.
Luca Parmitano will be the pilot of the mission
Andre Douglas will make his first space flight
Andre Douglas was selected as a mission specialist after serving as a backup astronaut for Artemis 2.
He holds a Ph.D. in systems engineering from George Washington University and also served in the United States Coast Guard. Artemis 3 will mark his debut in space.
Andre Douglas will make his first space flight
Frank Rubio, NASA's record-holding astronaut
Frank Rubio is known for having set the record for the longest continuous stay of a NASA astronaut in space.
His mission to the International Space Station extended to 371 days after a Soyuz spacecraft suffered a significant coolant loss.
Additionally, he was a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army.
Frank Rubio, NASA's record astronaut
What will be the objective of Artemis 3
Unlike future lunar missions, Artemis 3 will not travel beyond low Earth orbit.
The mission aims to test technologies, docking procedures, and operations between different spacecraft that will be essential for future expeditions to the Moon.
What will be the objective of Artemis 3
NASA plans for the Orion capsule to rendezvous and dock with lunar modules developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX, depending on the availability of each system.
How the mission with SpaceX and Blue Origin will be
The Orion capsule will be launched using the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
It will then need to rendezvous in orbit with the lunar module Blue Moon, developed by Blue Origin, and with a version of Starship from SpaceX.
How will the mission with SpaceX and Blue Origin be
During the mission, docking tests, hatch openings, life support system verifications, and operational trials between the different spacecraft will be conducted.
