NASA announces the Artemis III crew: three Americans and one Italian for key tests in the lunar program

NASA has designated three American astronauts — Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas — and one Italian, Luca Parmitano, for the Artemis III mission, scheduled for the end of next year.

The mission, part of the Artemis program, will test the docking of the Orion capsule with the lunar modules Starship and Blue Moon, developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, in low Earth orbit. Although it will not reach the Moon, the mission is considered an essential test before the lunar landing attempt in 2028.

The mission commander will be Bresnik, a veteran with three space flights and a former test pilot. The crew includes Rubio, the holder of the American record for the longest uninterrupted stay in space (371 days), rookie Douglas, and Parmitano, the first European astronaut included in an Artemis mission.

The inclusion of the Italian comes in the context of a reorganization of the program, following the abandonment of the lunar Gateway station and the signing of an agreement with Italy for contributions to the future lunar base.