NASA Names Artemis III Crew for Lunar Mission Test Flight

NASA announced Tuesday the four astronauts who will conduct a critical test flight for the Artemis III lunar program. The crew will not land on or even approach the Moon. The mission, scheduled for 2027, will test systems and procedures needed for eventual lunar surface operations with commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, and NASA mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas.

The announcement comes amid questions about whether Blue Origin's recent New Glenn rocket explosion could affect the broader Artemis timeline. NASA describes the mission as "highly complex" training that will validate crew operations and spacecraft systems before attempting the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.