NASA Names Artemis III Crew for Lunar Mission Test Flight
Major milestone in US space program's return to lunar exploration, with crew announcement for critical test mission
The Morning Brief · June 9, 2026 · Based on reporting by Al Jazeera
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.
Sources
Al Jazeera — NASA announces astronauts for Artemis III spaceflight, scheduled for 2027
Questions linger over whether the explosion of the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket will affect the Artemis III mission.
BBC World — Nasa names next astronauts for Artemis Moon programme
Nasa names its next Artemis crew, though they will not be walking on the Moon or even going anywhere near it.
NPR News — NASA names 4 astronauts on the 'highly complex' Artemis III lunar training mission
The crew of four — NASA astronaut and commander Randy Bresnik, European Space Agency pilot Luca Parmitano, NASA mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas — are scheduled to launch next year.
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