NASA named on Tuesday the next four astronauts to take humans one step closer to returning to the moon as part of the Artemis III mission: Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio, the mission specialists; Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, the pilot; and Randy Bresnik, the commander.
Less than two weeks after the fiery explosion of New Glenn, a rocket built by the Jeff Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin, officials said on Tuesday that the Blue Origin lander will take part in Artemis III, the next mission in the agency’s program to bring humans back to the lunar surface by 2028.
The agency, focused on ramping up excitement for the upcoming mission, offered little information about whether NASA would still be able to launch Artemis III by mid-2027, an ambitious plan that was further strained by the rocket explosion.
“We have redoubled our efforts and are moving forward,” said John Couluris of Blue Origin, who did not give much detail on how to get the company’s only launchpad, which was damaged by the rocket explosion, repaired in time for the mission.
Jared Isaacman, the NASA administrator, told reporters after the event that he was “extremely confident” in the Artemis program timeline. “We’re going to return to the moon before the end of 2028,” he said.
Here’s what else to know about Tuesday’s announcement.
The astronauts: Mr. Parmitano began his career as a test pilot and then colonel with the Italian Air Force and has since spent 367 days in space. Mr. Bresnik joined NASA in 2004, and is the only one who flew on a space shuttle before those vehicles were retired. Mr. Rubio, after expecting to stay at the International Space Station for six months in 2022, had to stay for 371 days after a coolant leak, the longest continuous stay in space by any NASA astronaut. Mr. Douglas was a backup crew member for the Artemis II mission. “Mom, thank you so much for believing in me,” he said as he introduced himself to the crowd.
All-male team: It is rare for NASA missions to feature all men these days. The last time there was a crew of four men for a NASA mission was in 2023 during the SpaceX Crew-6 mission that took four astronauts to the International Space Station.
Artemis update: Jeremy Parsons, the Artemis program manager, offered a rosy update of the program’s progress and a description of the mission. He said the Blue Origin lander will launch first, followed by the crew in an Orion capsule on top of the Space Launch System rocket. Orion and the Blue Origin lander will dock in orbit for several days of operations while connected. After those undock, SpaceX’s Starship will launch and dock with Orion for a day together. The mission will last about two weeks, ending with the crew splashing down in Orion.
The mission: In February, NASA announced that instead of going to the moon, the mission would serve as a test flight to demonstrate the ability to rendezvous and dock with at least one lunar lander in low-Earth orbit. The shift makes Artemis III simpler and less risky. It also sets up two moon landing attempts by NASA in 2028, during the Artemis IV and V missions.
Historic firsts: NASA once committed to land the first woman, the first person of color and the first non-American astronaut on the moon. Artemis II, which sent a crew of four on a 10-day journey around the lunar far side in April, was a step in that direction. Mr. Glover was the first Black man to visit the vicinity of the moon, and Ms. Koch became the first woman. Jeremy Hansen, the fourth Artemis II crew member, was the first Canadian.
Space fashion: The Artemis III astronauts will be getting a new look, courtesy of Prada. Days before the event to reveal the astronauts, Prada and Axiom Space unveiled the bodysuit that will go to the moon, looking more like a new unitard from the Marvel costume department.
New Glenn explosion: A New Glenn rocket that is supposed to carry Blue Origin’s lander to space blew up during a test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 28. That explosion damaged the only launchpad Blue Origin has available to fly New Glenn.
The repairs present a problem for the accelerated timeline NASA is aiming for with its Artemis program: If New Glenn has nowhere to launch from by the time Artemis III is ready to fly, NASA could decide to push back the mission.
- Credits: The New York Times
- Author: Katrina Miller
- Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/Agence France-Presse
