NASA announces Artemis III lunar mission, four astronauts selected, expected to launch in 2027

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced the Artemis III lunar mission and selected a four-member crew, comprising three NASA astronauts and one astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA). The mission, which aims to return humans to the Moon, is expectedly scheduled for launch in 2027.

NASA has named a four-member crew for the Artemis III mission, led by Commander Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio will serve as Mission Specialists, while Luca Parmitano of the ESA has been selected as the mission's pilot. 

NASA’s Administrator Jared Isaacman called it humanity's return to the moon, saying, “Today we take another bold step in humanity’s return to the Moon, building on the extraordinary foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts.”

The space agency said the Artemis III mission will use the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to launch the Orion spacecraft and its crew from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the mission, Orion is expected to demonstrate rendezvous and docking capabilities with test versions of one or both commercial human landing systems currently being developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX.

The mission will undertake a series of challenging tests in Earth orbit in 2027, essential for Artemis IV, the first planned crewed mission to the lunar South Pole in 2028.

In addition, NASA has selected astronaut Bob Hines as a backup crew member. The Artemis III crew will undergo training on Orion spacecraft systems while assisting in the development and testing of the Blue Origin and SpaceX lunar landers, which are expected to launch in 2027.