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Artemis III Crew Named: Americans & Italian Head to Moon
9 Jun
Summary
- Three American astronauts and one Italian will crew the Artemis III mission.
- The mission aims for a critical fueling test later this year.
- Blue Origin's prototype Moon lander is expected to be ready by 2027.
NASA has revealed the four-member crew for its upcoming Artemis III mission, which includes three American astronauts and one Italian astronaut from the European Space Agency. This crew will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft.
The agency is working with an ambitious schedule for Artemis III. NASA's administrator indicated that a crucial fueling test, known as wet dressing, is targeted for completion as early as later this year. The initial assembly of the super heavy-lift rocket is slated to begin this summer.
Blue Origin has been confirmed to participate in the mission, despite recent setbacks with its New Glenn rocket. The company's senior vice president of lunar permanence stated that their prototype Moon lander is expected to be flight-ready in time for the 2027 Artemis III mission. This participant also noted that Blue Origin has intensified its repair efforts.
NASA acting assistant deputy administrator Jeremy Parsons commented on the mission's objectives, stating it is designed to accept calculated risks to ensure the safety of subsequent missions.
