ROME (dpa-AFX) - Taking another step toward one of the most complex human spaceflight missions in recent history, NASA has announced the four prime crew members and a backup for the upcoming Artemis III test flight to prepare for its next major Moon mission next year.
The four-member crew consists of three American astronauts and a European astronaut.
NASA's Randy Bresnik will be the mission commander.
European Space Agency's Luca Parmitano will be the pilot. The Italian astronaut has an experience of spending more than 300 days in space. This is the first time an ESA astronaut has been assigned an Artemis mission.
NASA astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio will be mission specialists.
NASA astronaut Bob Hines was named as a backup crew member. The crew will begin training immediately on Orion spacecraft systems, as well as assist in the development and operations of the test versions of Blue Origin and SpaceX landers, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced at a news conference Tuesday.
'Today we take another bold step in humanity's return to the Moon, building on the extraordinary foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts,' he told reporters. 'Their achievements reignited global excitement for exploration, and now they pass the torch to the Artemis III team, Randy, Luca, Frank, and Andre. Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and advance the technologies that will one day carry us deeper into the solar system. This mission will require the most awe-inspiring coordination of heavy-lift rocket launches in history, drawing on the talent and capability of teams across government and the spaceflight community.'
The mission will undertake a series of challenging tests in Earth orbit in 2027, essential for Artemis IV, the first planned crewed mission to the lunar South Pole in 2028.
During Artemis III, the U.S. space agency's Space Launch System rocket will launch the Orion spacecraft and its crew from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to low Earth orbit. After Orion systems checkouts, the spacecraft will, for the first time, demonstrate rendezvous and docking capabilities with test versions from one, or both, American commercial human landing systems in development by Blue Origin and SpaceX.
This highly choreographed mission includes a dramatic multi-launch campaign of the world's most powerful rockets, testing integrated hardware between Orion and the landers, including system interfaces, software, propulsion, and communications.
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