NASA Reveals Astronauts Set for Artemis III Mission

Antranik TavitianNASA has announced the crew that will be embarking on Artemis III. The group of four men was revealed on Tuesday just two months after Artemis II, which marked the first time NASA had sent astronauts to the moon’s vicinity in more than 50 years. The crew members for Artemis III consist of Commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano, as well as mission specialists Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas. They will fly to low-Earth orbit “to test rendezvous and docking maneuvers” for future missions. The four men have “extensive experience in space,” as described by The New York Times, with Douglas even having been a backup for Artemis II. “Mom, thank you so much for believing in me,” he said as he prepares for his first trip into space. NASA’s longstanding commitment to diversity was challenged by the Trump administration’s focus on eliminating DEI policies in 2025, after which NASA removed a pledge from its website to put the first woman, first black person, and first non-American on the moon. “I don’t think anyone should be reading into this,” NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said regarding the absence of a woman on the new crew. He noted that the four selected astronauts were “the best astronauts to undertake and complete the mission’s objectives.” Read it at The New York TimesRead more at The Daily Beast.