Artemis III Mission Crew Announced by NASA

NASA has unveiled the crew for its upcoming Artemis III mission aimed at returning humans to the moon. This team, consisting entirely of men, includes experienced space veterans and a new addition who served as a backup for Artemis II.

The Artemis III team comprises Commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency, mission specialist Frank Rubio, and mission specialist Andre Douglas. Each member brings unique experience to the mission—Commander Bresnik, Mr. Parmitano, and Mr. Rubio have extensive spaceflight backgrounds. Mr. Douglas also adds value as a returning participant.

In April, the Artemis II mission marked a significant milestone with its diverse crew. It included Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, making it the first mission in over 50 years to approach the moon. This crew was historic for its diversity—Victor Glover was the first Black man to fly near the moon, Christina Koch was the first woman, and Jeremy Hansen was the first Canadian on such a mission.

The Artemis III crew was announced on Tuesday. It features Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas. Andre Douglas, being Black, and Frank Rubio, the first astronaut of Salvadoran descent to travel to space, add to the mission’s diversity. Luca Parmitano is the European Space Agency’s first representative to join the Artemis program. However, the crew does not include women.

Jared Isaacman, the NASA administrator, addressed media inquiries about the crew selection. According to him, the decision was based on selecting the best astronauts for the mission’s objectives without any intentional exclusions. He also mentioned that NASA’s last astronaut candidate class had more women than men, indicating ongoing efforts toward diversity.

Previously, NASA had committed to landing the first woman, the first person of color, and the first non-American on the moon. This promise was removed from NASA’s website after federal actions removed support for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives initiated by the Trump administration in early 2025.