NASA just revealed the Artemis III crew that’ll lead the next big leap in space exploration, gearing up for a test mission in 2027 that will set the stage for humanity’s return to the Moon’s South Pole. Meet the four astronauts (plus a backup) about to make history:
Randy Bresnik (Commander): A seasoned NASA astronaut and retired Marine colonel, Bresnik has flown to space twice before, including time as ISS commander. With over 7,000 flight hours in 95 aircraft, he’s been a driving force behind Artemis spacecraft development since 2018.
Luca Parmitano (Pilot): Representing the European Space Agency, Parmitano is the first ESA astronaut assigned to Artemis. He’s a veteran of two spaceflights, including a stint as ISS commander, and brings serious test pilot chops with over 2,000 flight hours in 40 aircraft.
Frank Rubio (Mission Specialist): Back for his second trip to space, Rubio holds the record for the longest single U.S. spaceflight at 371 days. He’s an Army physician, aviator, and a veteran of both medicine and the International Space Station.
Andre Douglas (Mission Specialist): The only rookie on the crew, Douglas is a Coast Guard Academy grad with four advanced degrees, plus hands-on experience in search and rescue, space systems engineering, and autonomous vehicles. He prepped as backup for Artemis II and is now making his space debut.
Bob Hines (Backup): Hines will train with the crew and step in if needed. He flew as pilot on SpaceX Crew-4, has 27+ years as an Air Force pilot, and is no stranger to high-stakes missions.
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