# NASA names crew for its critical Artemis III mission.

*aerospace · news · 2026-06-09 · Devdiscourse*

## Key points

- NASA named Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, Randy Bresnik, and Luca Parmitano as Artemis III crew.
- Artemis III will not land on the moon but conduct docking demos in Earth's orbit.
- The mission will test new moon lander technologies developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
- Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano's inclusion highlights increased international collaboration, particularly with Italy.

In a high-profile event in Houston, NASA named the crew for its critical Artemis III mission, including American astronauts Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Randy Bresnik, alongside Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency. This mission is set to propel advancements in moon-landing technology. Artemis III, scheduled for late next year, will serve as a docking demonstration in Earth's orbit for moon landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. The mission will not go to the moon but will be instrumental in testing spacecraft hardware and tactics necessary for future lunar missions. The team, led by mission commander Bresnik, emphasizes the strategic collaboration with international partners like Italy, which gets a spotlight with Parmitano's participation. This mission comes as NASA rushes to outpace growing competition from China in the space race. (With inputs from agencies.)

**Companies:** NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin
**Countries:** United States, Italy

[Read the full story on Devdiscourse](https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/science-environment/3932873-nasa-unveils-star-studded-crew-for-pivotal-artemis-iii-mission)

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