NASA names Artemis III crew: Italian Luca Parmitano becomes first European in lunar program, mission shifts to Earth-orbit tests

Crew announcement in Houston

NASA revealed the Artemis III crew on Tuesday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Commander Randy Bresnik, a former ISS commander, will lead the mission. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency will serve as pilot, becoming the first European to join a US lunar program crew. Mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio — who holds the record for the longest single US spaceflight at 371 days — complete the four-person team. Bob Hines was named as the backup crew member.

I apologise in advance if I get emotional. I feel honoured by the role I have been assigned and by the task ahead of us.

The ceremony included a symbolic handover from Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, who passed a ceremonial baton to Bresnik. "We hand you the baton. You have the controls," Wiseman said. Bresnik responded that the crew was honoured to continue "the flame" lit by Artemis II.

A radically changed mission profile

Unlike the original plan, Artemis III will not travel to the Moon. The crew will remain in low Earth orbit for approximately two weeks. This change aims to preserve the scarce second stage of the SLS rocket for Artemis IV, now scheduled for 2028, which will attempt the first crewed lunar landing since 1972. The decision follows the successful Artemis II mission in April, which orbited the Moon and included the first woman, first Black astronaut, and first Canadian to do so.

Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and advance technologies that will one day take humanity deeper into the solar system.

Docking tests with two commercial landers

The primary objective is to test docking procedures between the Orion capsule and two commercial lunar landing vehicles. The mission will begin with the launch of a Blue Origin test vehicle. Orion, carrying the four astronauts and launched by the SLS rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will then dock with it in orbit. The crew will conduct habitability tests, life support system checks, and operations inside the lunar vehicle. After separating from the Blue Origin craft, Orion will rendezvous with a lunar version of SpaceX's Starship for a second series of approach and docking manoeuvres.

Schedule pressure after Blue Origin explosion

The mission timeline has faced scrutiny following the explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket during a ground test in late May. At the Houston event, Blue Origin's John Couluris acknowledged a "significant anomaly" but insisted the company's lander would be ready for Artemis III on schedule. "We have redoubled our efforts and we are moving forward," he said. NASA programme manager Jeremy Parsons confirmed the agency is maintaining the 2027 launch target.

European contribution beyond the crew

Parmitano's presence reflects deeper European involvement in the Artemis programme. The European Service Module, which provides power, propulsion, thermal control, air, and water for the Orion spacecraft, is supplied by ESA. Its primary structure is manufactured in Turin, Italy. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher noted that Parmitano's selection "reflects European expertise and his vast experience in high-pressure situations." Parmitano, an Italian Air Force colonel and test pilot, has accumulated 366 days in space across two ISS missions and is known for his resilience after surviving a near-drowning incident during a 2013 spacewalk.

Artemis III will test the limits of space operations in orbit. The choice of Luca as pilot reflects European expertise and his vast experience in high-pressure situations.

The road to a 2028 lunar landing

Artemis III is the final test mission before Artemis IV attempts a crewed lunar landing in 2028. That mission aims to send the first woman and first person of colour to the lunar surface. The original Artemis timeline had aimed for a landing in 2024, making this a four-year delay. China, the main US competitor in the space race, plans to send astronauts to the lunar surface before 2030. After completing its two-week mission, the Orion capsule will return to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.