The Artemis II mission may have come to a close a couple of months ago, but NASA is already gearing up for the next step. The agency has revealed the four astronauts that make up the crew for the Artemis III mission, the following chapter in its plan to return to the moon. They are NASA astronauts commander Randy Bresnik, mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio, alongside pilot Luca Parmitano, the first European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut to join an Artemis mission.

Planned for 2027, Artemis III will test two lunar landers developed by Blue Origin and Space X, which are set to take astronauts to the South Pole of the moon in 2028 as part of the Artemis IV mission. For Artemis III, the astronauts will only travel to low Earth orbit, where they'll demonstrate the capabilities of the human landing systems and their integration with the Orion spacecraft. The mission is described as “highly choreographed,” and is expected to last about two weeks.

“This mission will require the most awe-inspiring coordination of heavy-lift rocket launches in history, drawing on the talent and capability of teams across government and the spaceflight community,” says NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “The Artemis III astronauts, alongside ESA and our international partners, and the tens of thousands of the best and brightest across the agency and industry, are ushering in a new Golden Age of exploration carrying forward the hopes and dreams of the next generation just as the Apollo astronauts did for so many of us.”

The announcement sparked controversy given the lack of women in the crew, particularly when considering the contributions of astronaut Christina Koch during the recent Artemis II mission. Isaacman addressed the topic, saying that other astronauts may already be preparing to launch to the International Space Station or have been undergoing specific training for a future mission to the lunar surface.

“The Astronaut Office assigns the crew that gives the mission the best chance of meeting its objectives, taking into account many factors,” he explains, “including the background and expertise of the astronauts, such as test pilot experience, development work on specific programs, and availability.”

To stay up to date with the Artemis mission, follow NASA on Instagram.

Sources: NASA Marches Toward Artemis III Mission in 2027, Names Crew Members; NASA addresses criticism over all-male crew selected for Artemis III test mission

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