NASA is preparing for its next lunar mission, Artemis III, which will feature an all-male crew. The team includes Commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, and mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas. All members except one have prior space experience. Andre Douglas served as a backup for Artemis II.

In April, NASA’s Artemis II mission marked the first time in over fifty years that astronauts traveled near the moon. The crew was diverse: Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen participated. Victor Glover, in particular, was the first Black astronaut to approach the moon, while Christina Koch became the first woman. Jeremy Hansen was notable as the first Canadian on an Artemis mission.

For Artemis III, the chosen astronauts bring their distinct backgrounds. Andre Douglas is Black. Frank Rubio holds the distinction of being the first astronaut of Salvadoran descent. Luca Parmitano represents the European Space Agency on an Artemis mission for the first time. However, the mission’s crew composition lacks women.

“I don’t think anyone should be reading into this,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman during a media briefing. He emphasized that NASA selected the best individuals to achieve the mission’s goals.

Isaacman offered no further explanation regarding the selection process but mentioned that NASA’s recent astronaut candidate class included more women than men. NASA had previously pledged to land the first woman and person of color on the moon, along with a non-American astronaut. However, this pledge was quietly removed after a federal crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in early 2025.