NASA has just revealed the Artemis 3 crew at Johnson Space Center. The lineup:
- Commander: Randy Bresnik (NASA) ISS veteran, Marine Corps combat pilot
- Pilot: Luca Parmitano (ESA) Italian Air Force Colonel, 2,000+ flight hours
- Mission Specialist: Andre Douglas (NASA) first spaceflight, systems engineering background
- Mission Specialist: Frank Rubio (NASA) holds NASA record of 371 consecutive days in space
The mission, launching in 2026, targets Earth orbit docking tests ahead of the 2028 Moon landing. Notably, Artemis 2 concluded just two months ago after flying around the Moon’s far side, NASA is moving at a pace that feels genuinely accelerated compared to the post-Apollo era.
Worth discussing: Parmitano’s inclusion as Pilot rather than Mission Specialist signals a strong ESA/NASA integration at the command level. Also interesting that Douglas, with zero previous spaceflights, goes directly into an Artemis crew, reflects confidence in the 2021 class.
What’s your read on this crew selection?
