NASA Reveals Artemis III Crew For 2027 Mission (Image Internet)
New Delhi: NASA on Tuesday announced the four astronauts selected for Artemis III, the next major mission in its lunar exploration programme. The mission is currently targeted for launch in 2027 and will serve as a key step in preparing future Moon landings.
Unlike earlier expectations of a direct lunar landing, Artemis III has been redesigned as a complex low-Earth orbit demonstration mission focused on testing critical systems required for deep space travel.
The crew will launch aboard the Orion spacecraft using NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once in orbit, the astronauts will carry out rendezvous and docking operations with test versions of next-generation lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
The mission is designed as a high-stakes rehearsal to validate spacecraft coordination, docking systems and crew procedures ahead of Artemis IV, which aims for a lunar surface mission in 2028.
NASA named experienced astronaut Randy Bresnik as commander. A retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, he has flown three space missions and spent around 150 days in orbit, including multiple spacewalks.
Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency will serve as pilot. He has completed two previous spaceflights and will become the first ESA astronaut to participate in an Artemis mission.
Frank Rubio, a U.S. astronaut and holder of the American record for the longest single spaceflight, joins as mission specialist after spending 371 days aboard the International Space Station.
Andre Douglas, also selected as a mission specialist, is a first-time flier from NASA’s 2021 astronaut class and previously worked as a test engineer and Coast Guard Reserve commander.
The Artemis III mission will last approximately two weeks, during which the crew will test Orion’s systems, evaluate new spacesuits and practice docking with commercial landers in orbit.
NASA leadership described the mission as a highly coordinated effort involving international partners and commercial space companies, marking a major step toward future lunar exploration.
