NASA Unveils Artemis III Crew For Next Phase Of Moon Program

NASA has announced the four astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission, marking another milestone in the agency’s long-term effort to return humans to the moon and eventually expand exploration deeper into space.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman introduced the crew on Tuesday, naming Randy Bresnik as commander, Luca Parmitano as pilot, and Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio as mission specialists.

Earlier this year, NASA revised Artemis III from a planned lunar landing mission into a two-week test flight in low-Earth orbit.

The mission will focus on rehearsing critical procedures, including rendezvous and docking operations with lunar landing systems being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.

The tests are considered a key step before astronauts attempt to land on the moon again.

The announcement comes as both commercial partners face technical challenges.

Blue Origin is under increased scrutiny following a recent ground-test explosion, while SpaceX continues working through issues being reviewed by federal regulators.

NASA currently aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface during Artemis IV in 2028, with longer-term plans that include establishing a sustained human presence on the moon and supporting future missions to Mars.

Related Tweet:

Congratulations to the newly announced crew for Artemis III! We are thrilled that these four distinguished astronauts will be “carrying the fire” for our next mission toward establishing a long-term human presence on the surface of the Moon. https://t.co/9RbDm8TaWF

— NASA History Office (@NASAhistory) June 9, 2026

Related Video:

Introducing your Artemis III crew: NASA astronauts @AstroKomrade, @Astro_AndreD, and Frank Rubio and @ESA astronaut @Astro_Luca. pic.twitter.com/ljfxlOBw0U

— NASA (@NASA) June 9, 2026

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