NASA Announces Astronauts for Artemis III Mission and Other News: Luca Parmitano Will Be On Board

After the success of Artemis II (launched in early April), it is now time to think about the next mission: Artemis III. Initially, a moon landing was planned for this mission, but NASA has revised its plans to turn it into a low Earth orbit test mission to trial the hardware, postponing the moon landing to Artemis IV in early 2028 (followed by Artemis V later that same year).

Today, a press conference was held where several updates were announced, including the crew that will participate in the mission and the backup crew, along with additional news. Jared Isaacman (NASA administrator) confirmed the intention to have both lunar landers, Blue Moon MK2 and Starship HLS, from Blue Origin and SpaceX respectively, in low Earth orbit for docking tests with Orion. The hardware for Artemis III for NASA SLS (Space Launch System) will be assembled throughout the year, with a Wet Dress Rehearsal expected by the end of 2026, so they are ready when the lunar landers can be launched.

Artemis III: The Crew and Mission Updates

It has been reaffirmed that whichever lunar lander is chosen, there will first be an uncrewed test landing to trial the technologies, reducing the risk for crews. This means that in 2027, there could be the launch of at least three lunar landers (two in LEO and one towards the Moon) before a real moon landing with astronauts on board. The AxEMU space suits will fly aboard the ISS for some tests, as previously indicated. There will also be a test for the interfacing between the space suits and at least one lunar lander in 2027, during the Artemis III mission.

The sequence of events includes the launch of Blue Moon MK2 and subsequently the launch of Orion with NASA SLS without a second stage ICPS but with a mockup without a propulsion system. Blue Origin's lunar lander will be tested first with the crew entering it, operating some tests for about two days, and subsequently returning to Orion and detaching. At that point, SpaceX's lander will be launched to conduct the docking between Orion and Starship HLS with tests lasting one day, without entering inside, according to current plans. The Artemis III mission is expected to last approximately two weeks, from the launch of New Glenn to the return with Orion splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

SpaceX has confirmed that some of the hardware that will be used for Starship HLS is already being utilized for Dragon and Crew Dragon, thus reducing development timelines. A third-generation model with a docking adapter will be employed, but not a complete design intended for the Moon.

NASA and SpaceX, for Artemis IV (in 2028), have decided that the docking between Starship HLS and Orion will take place in low Earth orbit for the lunar lander, which will then ignite its engines for the trans-lunar injection (TLI) maneuver.

The Artemis III crew will include Randolph Bresnik (NASA) as commander, Andre Douglas (NASA) as mission specialist, and Francisco (Frank) Rubio (NASA) as another mission specialist, and finally the Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano (ESA) who will be the pilot. Italy will thus play a major role in the Artemis program, and another astronaut from our country could fly as early as the fifth mission of the program or shortly thereafter, according to previous agreements. The backup astronaut will be Bob Hines (NASA).

According to reports from NASA, the astronauts of the Artemis III mission will immediately begin training for the use of the Orion spacecraft and the Starship HLS and Blue Moon MK2 lunar landers.

Josef Aschbacher (director general of ESA) also recalled the incident during which Luca Parmitano's space suit had a problem during an extravehicular activity aboard the ISS, with the Italian astronaut acting calmly and firmly to overcome a critical moment with a high risk for his life. Aschbacher also stated that, "Artemis III will push the boundaries of space operations in orbit. Luca's role as a pilot reflects the depth of European expertise in human spaceflight and draws on his extensive operational experience in high-pressure situations. 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 heart of the Artemis program. The news from Houston today is a powerful acknowledgment of ESA's role in enabling humanity's return to the Moon – and a key advancement in our partnership with NASA. Europeans can be proud to be part of this exciting journey."