NASA names four-person Artemis III crew for 2027 Earth-orbit test mission

Tuesday, June 9, 2026Science & ClimateWell-covered3 frames

NASA announced a four-person crew for Artemis III: commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano, and mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.
Artemis III is scheduled for 2027.
Artemis III is now planned to fly in low Earth orbit and will not go to the moon or include a lunar landing.
The mission's main purpose is to test rendezvous and docking operations between NASA's Orion spacecraft and prototype lunar landers.
NASA had originally planned Artemis III as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972 before changing the mission profile.
NASA says Artemis III is intended to generate data and operational experience needed for later Artemis missions that would attempt a crewed moon landing.
NASA is linking Artemis III to a broader timetable that aims for a crewed moon landing on Artemis IV in 2028.
One unresolved issue for the broader Artemis schedule is readiness of commercial lunar lander systems, including hardware from SpaceX and Blue Origin that Artemis III is meant to test.

How left and right are reading this

Both agree: Artemis III is no longer a moon landing but a low Earth orbit test mission meant to generate the docking data and operational experience NASA says later crewed lunar missions will require, amid unresolved readiness questions around commercial lander systems.
They split on: Less a disagreement than a question of emphasis: Artemis III as prudent risk reduction for a later moon landing, versus Artemis III as evidence that NASA has scaled back a once-promised return to the lunar surface.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026Science & ClimateWell-covered3 frames

NASA announced a four-person crew for Artemis III: commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano, and mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.
Artemis III is scheduled for 2027.
Artemis III is now planned to fly in low Earth orbit and will not go to the moon or include a lunar landing.
The mission's main purpose is to test rendezvous and docking operations between NASA's Orion spacecraft and prototype lunar landers.
NASA had originally planned Artemis III as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972 before changing the mission profile.
NASA says Artemis III is intended to generate data and operational experience needed for later Artemis missions that would attempt a crewed moon landing.
NASA is linking Artemis III to a broader timetable that aims for a crewed moon landing on Artemis IV in 2028.
One unresolved issue for the broader Artemis schedule is readiness of commercial lunar lander systems, including hardware from SpaceX and Blue Origin that Artemis III is meant to test.

How left and right are reading this

Both agree: Artemis III is no longer a moon landing but a low Earth orbit test mission meant to generate the docking data and operational experience NASA says later crewed lunar missions will require, amid unresolved readiness questions around commercial lander systems.
They split on: Less a disagreement than a question of emphasis: Artemis III as prudent risk reduction for a later moon landing, versus Artemis III as evidence that NASA has scaled back a once-promised return to the lunar surface.

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