Artemis III Crew Announced

Johnson Space Center, TX. – Coming off the incredible success of Artemis II, today, June 9, 2026 NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced the names of the Artemis III crew and the future plans for the Artemis program going forward.

The Artemis III crew is:  Commander: Randy Bresnik (NASA), Pilot: Luca Parmitano (ESA) and NASA Mission Specialists, Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.

The Artemis III mission will be conducted in Low-Earth orbit and last nearly two weeks.  During the mission, the crew will be conducting maneuvers in space that have never been done at this particular level before.  Maneuvers conducted by the crew that will include multiple dockings with two separate and different spacecraft that are the SpaceX Starship and the Blue Origin MK-1 Lunar Lander. 

These procedures are necessary and for this mission, can be conducted close to home on the unlikely chance that the crew would have to return to Earth and be only hours from a splashdown verses a several day return from the Moon.

In a statement from NASA: "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. Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and advance the technologies that will one day carry us deeper into the solar system. 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. 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.” 

With this mission crew now announced, this is the first for ESA with the addition of Italian Astronaut and mission pilot Luca Parmitano. 

In a statement from ESA: “Artemis III will push the boundaries of spacecraft operations in orbit. Luca’s assignment as pilot reflects the depth of European expertise in human spaceflight and draws on his extensive operational experience in high-pressure situations,” said Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s director general. “At the same time, ESA’s European Service Module will once again provide the critical capabilities that power Orion, demonstrating Europe’s enduring role at the very heart of the Artemis program. The news out of Houston today is a powerful recognition of ESA’s role in enabling humanity’s return to the Moon – and a key advancement in our partnership with NASA. Europeans can take pride in being part of this exciting journey."

All the astronauts but one has previous spaceflight hours prior to Artemis III.  This will be the first flight for NASA astronaut and mission specialist Andre Douglas.

While no launch date has been set, the loss of the Blue Origin pad recently has set back some of the plans, but crews are working around the clock to have Artemis III and the components needed for flight ready in 2027.

Story By:  Michael Howard – We Report Space

SLS Images By:  Michael Howard – We Report Space

NASA Image By:  NASA/Bill Stafford