NASA has announced the crew for the Artemis III mission, marking a significant step in its plan to ultimately land astronauts on the moon. This announcement follows two months after the successful Artemis II mission, which achieved a record-breaking orbit around the moon. The Artemis III crew includes NASA’s Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and the European Space Agency’s Luca Parmitano.

Though the crew will not travel to or land on the moon, their mission involves orbiting Earth and practicing docking maneuvers with their Orion capsule and two lunar landers. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed good wishes for the crew, acknowledging their role in preparing for future moon landings.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are currently competing to provide the lunar landers necessary for the mission. A demonstration lasting two weeks is scheduled for 2027. However, Blue Origin faced a challenge when a rocket exploded during an engine test. Despite this, NASA’s Jeremy Parsons sees it as a learning opportunity and remains optimistic about the rocket’s readiness.

The Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions of the 1970s. Isaacman revealed an updated timeline, with a spaceflight around Earth planned before a potential moon landing in 2028. Artemis III Commander Bresnik expressed pride in leading the mission, and Mission Specialist Douglas shared his excitement about participating in this endeavor.

In May, NASA granted contracts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars to several companies, including Blue Origin, to develop landers, rovers, and drones for a future moon base. Establishing a lunar base aims to support future expeditions to Mars, signaling NASA’s ambitious plans for space exploration.