NASA announces astronauts for Artemis III spaceflight, scheduled for 2027

On June 9, 2026, NASA unveiled the crew for Artemis III, consisting of Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, Luca Parmitano, and Randy Bresnik, with Bob Heintz as backup. Douglas, an African American engineer, will make his first spaceflight; Rubio, a Salvadoran American physician, holds the record for the longest US single-duration spaceflight (371 days); Bresnik, a former Navy test pilot, commands the crew; Parmitano, an Italian, is the only non-US citizen. The preparatory mission aims to collect data and practice docking procedures for a future Moon landing.