Slovenian-heritage astronaut part of Artemis 3 crew

NASA has unveiled the crew for its Artemis 3 mission, a significant step in the program's goal to return humans to the Moon. The mission, initially planned as the first lunar landing, will now focus on testing crucial rendezvous and docking procedures in Earth orbit. Commercial partners SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing the landers that will eventually ferry astronauts to the lunar surface.

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Today we take another bold step toward returning humanity to the Moon, building on the exceptional foundations laid by the Artemis 2 astronauts.

The crew includes NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, who has Slovenian heritage, as commander. He will be joined by European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot, and NASA astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio as mission specialists. Bob Hines is assigned as the backup crew member. This marks the first time a European astronaut has been assigned to an Artemis mission, following Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen's participation in Artemis 2.

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This mission will showcase the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and develop technologies that will one day take us deeper into the solar system.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman highlighted the mission's importance, stating it builds on the foundation laid by Artemis 2 and demonstrates "American innovation and international partnership." He emphasized the complex launch coordination required and the development of technologies for deeper space exploration. Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency, noted Parmitano's role reflects Europe's expertise in crewed spaceflight.

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The Artemis 3 astronauts, along with ESA and our international partners, and the thousands of employees across the agency and industry, are ushering in a new golden age of exploration that carries the hopes and dreams of the next generation, just as the Apollo astronauts did for many of us.

The mission's operational sequence involves launching Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander first, followed by the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The Orion capsule will dock with Blue Origin's lander for two days of testing before undocking. Orion will then rendezvous and dock with SpaceX's Starship for another day of tests. Finally, Orion will return to Earth, with the capsule expected to land in the Pacific Ocean.

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Artemis 3 will push the boundaries of spacecraft operations in orbit. Luca's role as pilot reflects the depth of European expertise in crewed spaceflight and draws on his rich operational experience in high-stress situations.