NASA has selected the crew for its next major lunar mission, Artemis III. However, the astronauts will not be landing on or near the Moon during this mission.
elchi reports that the mission was originally planned for two astronauts to land near the Moon’s south pole and spend a week on the surface.
This would have been the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. However, NASA changed this plan in February and announced that the mission would take place only in low Earth orbit, slightly deeper than the International Space Station, and would dock with prototype lunar landers.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the mission will still be the most complex operation in history.
Isaacman noted that this mission will require the most amazing heavy-lift rocket launch coordination in history, utilizing the skills and capabilities of teams from the government and the spaceflight community.
NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik will serve as the mission commander. Luca Parmitano from the Italian Space Agency will be the pilot of the Artemis III mission. Parmitano has spent more than 300 days in space. American astronauts Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio will participate in the flight as mission specialists. Test pilot Bob Heintz, who has spent 170 days in space, has been selected as a backup crew member.
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