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Americas

NASA announces Artemis 3 mission crew

09 June 2026 22:40 (UTC +04:00)

The Artemis 3 space mission will have a crew of four, including one astronaut from the European Space Agency, it was announced by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, APA reports.

American astronaut Randy Breznik has been appointed commander of the crew. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano will serve as pilot. Two other Americans, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas, will serve as mission specialists. Bob Hines has been appointed as the backup crew member.

Unlike Artemis 2, the upcoming flight will take place in low-Earth orbit. The mission will be designed to refine the use of multiple rockets for flight and landing humans on the Moon. "We're using Artemis 3 to get into the rhythm of multiple-launch campaigns and test the compatibility of multiple systems," Isaacman said.

The mission is expected to use several launch vehicles, including those from SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Blue Origin spokesman John Koloris said the company will be able to provide NASA with the Artemis 3 rocket next year. "We anticipate having the Artemis 3 vehicle completed and ready for launch in 2027. We've redoubled our efforts and are moving forward," he said. In late May, the New Glenn rocket exploded during a test at Cape Canaveral; recovery of the launch pad could take up to two years.

The Artemis 3 crew, aboard the Orion spacecraft, is expected to be launched into low-Earth orbit by the SLS launch vehicle. Orion will then dock and undock with the Blue Origin spacecraft, then with SpaceX's Starship, after which the crew will return to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The mission is expected to last two weeks.