NASA Names Artemis III Crew – Four Astronauts Set to Test Lunar Landers in 2027

On June 9, 2026, NASA’s Johnson Space Center announced the names of the four astronauts who will pilot Artemis III, the agency’s next test flight designed to prove that the Orion crew capsule can rendezvous with and dock to commercial lunar landing systems. The crew is slated for launch in 2027.

Commander Randy Bresnik, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and veteran of the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, will lead the flight. Pilot Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency brings experience as a test pilot and two previous ISS missions, making him the first ESA astronaut on an Artemis flight.

Mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas round out the team. Rubio, a former Army helicopter pilot and physician, broke the American record for longest continuous spaceflight at 371 days aboard the ISS. Douglas, a Coast Guard reserve officer and systems engineer, will be flying in space for the first time.

Artemis III will launch the Orion capsule in low‑Earth orbit and conduct a series of complex docking demonstrations. First, Orion will rendezvous with a test version of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander. After a multi‑day docked operation, Orion will detach and await the launch of a SpaceX Starship pathfinder for a brief rendezvous and docking demonstration.

These operations are essential for verifying that Orion and the commercial lunar landers – each with its own design, launch vehicle and operational profile – can function together safely. NASA’s administrator Jared Isaacman explained that this mission is a “necessary step to prove the critical systems needed for future lunar landings.”

“Today we take another bold step in humanity’s return to the moon,” Isaacman said. “Their achievements reignited global excitement for exploration, and now they give the torch to the Artemis III team.”

Former astronaut Steve Robinson has warned that missions such as Artemis III “carry hidden dangers and complexities,” underscoring the need for rigorous testing in an environment that closely mirrors operational conditions. The crew’s training schedule has already begun, with teams preparing Orion’s systems and the commercial landers for the sequence of launches, rendezvous, docking, and undocking that will last roughly two weeks.

Upon completion, Orion and the astronauts will splash down in the Pacific Ocean, where a joint recovery team from the U.S. Navy and NASA will bring them home.

Artemis III sets the stage for Artemis IV – the first crewed lunar surface landing – planned for 2028. By validating Orion’s integration with Blue Origin and SpaceX landers, NASA aims to eliminate uncertainties that could delay future Moon missions and, ultimately, human exploration of Mars.