NASA has named the four astronauts who will crew Artemis III, a mission that will orbit Earth and act as a key preparatory step towards returning humans to the Moon by 2028. The announcement is part of the wider Artemis programme, which aims to re-establish a human presence on the lunar surface.
Artemis III is expected to support the next stage of the programme, Artemis IV, which is slated to land astronauts on the Moon. While Artemis III will not land on the Moon itself, it is designed to test systems and procedures in Earth orbit, gathering data for future lunar missions.
For readers following the wider space programme, NASA’s Artemis pages set out the agency’s mission plans and updates. You can also keep track of related coverage on our news tag page.
The selection of the crew marks another milestone in NASA’s long-term strategy for lunar exploration. The agency says the knowledge gained from Artemis III will help refine technologies and operational protocols for later missions.
The Artemis programme builds on the legacy of the Apollo missions and is intended to support a sustainable human presence on the Moon. NASA has said that longer-term plans also point towards eventual human missions to Mars.