NASA unveils Artemis III crew for crucial 2027 Earth orbit tests

NASA has named the four-person crew for its Artemis III mission, a 2027 test flight in Earth orbit. The mission will demonstrate docking with Blue Origin and SpaceX landers, a crucial step for the subsequent Artemis IV lunar landing.

NASA on Tuesday provided new Artemis III details and announced the four prime crew members and a backup for the test flight. The official statement highlighted that the mission will undertake a series of challenging tests in Earth orbit in 2027, essential for Artemis IV, the first planned crewed mission to the lunar South Pole in 2028.

Artemis III Crew Announced

As per the statement, the crew members include NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, commander; ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano, pilot; NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, mission specialist; and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, mission specialist. NASA astronaut Bob Hines was named as a backup crew member.

According to the statement, the crew will begin training immediately on Orion spacecraft systems, as well as assist in the development and operations of the test versions of Blue Origin and SpaceX landers.

Mission Profile and Objectives

It further noted how during Artemis III, the agency's SLS (Space Launch System) rocket will launch the Orion spacecraft and its crew from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to low Earth orbit.

After Orion systems checkouts, the spacecraft will, for the first time, demonstrate rendezvous and docking capabilities with test versions from one, or both, American commercial human landing systems in development by Blue Origin and SpaceX.

It highlighted how the mission includes a dramatic multi-launch campaign of the world's most powerful rockets, testing integrated hardware between Orion and the landers, including system interfaces, software, propulsion, and communications.

A 'Golden Age of Exploration'

"Today we take another bold step in humanity's return to the Moon, building on the extraordinary foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "Their achievements reignited global excitement for exploration, and now they pass the torch to the Artemis III team, Randy, Luca, Frank, and Andre," he added.

"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," he said.

This also is the first time an ESA astronaut has been assigned an Artemis mission. The Artemis III mission builds on the successful Artemis II flight completed in April and will help the agency prepare to send the first astronauts, Americans, to Mars. Artemis III includes launching the world's most powerful rockets in short order.

Rendezvous with Blue Origin

Blue Origin's lander pathfinder, which is able to stay in orbit for multiple weeks, will launch first and await the crew. NASA will send the astronauts aboard Orion by SLS to orbit Earth before rendezvousing in space with the company's lander test article and spending about two days docked together for tests and technology demonstrations, including entering the lander, the statement said.

Docking with SpaceX and Return

It added that after completing docked operations with Blue Origin, Orion will detach and await Starship. SpaceX's Starship pathfinder will launch and meet up with Orion to spend about a day connected for checkouts and testing. After that, Orion and its crew will undock and return home, splashing safely down in the Pacific Ocean, where a team from the U.S. Navy and NASA will recover the astronauts. In total, the crew is expected to remain in space for about two weeks, with exact mission length to be determined in real time based on launch, rendezvous, and docked operations.

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