NASA just named the Artemis III crew for 2027, but this “Moon race milestone” mission will not actually go to the Moon.
Story Snapshot
- Artemis III will fly in low Earth orbit, testing docking with private landers instead of landing on the Moon.
- Four astronauts, three Americans and one European, will run high‑risk tests that set up a later lunar landing.[1][7][12]
- The mission depends on costly mega‑rockets and billionaire-built landers, raising questions about spending and priorities.[1][3][7][12]
- The race back to the Moon is now a long game of tests and delays, not the quick victory many Americans expected.[3][7][8]
Artemis III: A “Moon Race” Mission That Stops In Earth Orbit
NASA is selling Artemis III as the next big step in America’s return to the Moon, but this 2027 mission will never leave low Earth orbit.[1][7][12] The Space Launch System rocket will lift four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center and place them into a stable orbit around Earth, not on a path to the lunar surface.[1][7][12] Instead of planting a flag, the crew will run a packed schedule of tests that are supposed to make a later landing safer.[1][2][12]
During the roughly two‑week flight, Orion will, for the first time, attempt rendezvous and docking with test versions of commercial human landing systems built by SpaceX and Blue Origin.[1][2][7][12] NASA describes Artemis III as a “risk‑reduction” and “test flight,” designed to prove these docking operations before any crew relies on them near the Moon.[1][7][12] Agency leaders say these tests are “essential” for Artemis IV, now billed as the first crewed landing at the lunar South Pole in 2028.[1][3]
Meet The Crew Carrying America’s Next Big Space Risk
The four‑person crew includes three NASA astronauts and one from the European Space Agency, showing how much international partners are now woven into U.S. space plans.[1][2][7] NASA named Randy Bresnik as mission commander, with Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio serving as mission specialists, and Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot.[1][2][7] Veteran astronaut Bob Hines will train as a backup, ready to step in if needed.[1][2] The crew will begin training right away on Orion systems and lander operations.[1][2]
NASA officials call the mission “complex” and admit it is “deliberately designed to take calculated risk” so future crews can land on the Moon with more safety margin.[2] The astronauts will spend several days in docked operations, living and working inside the lander test articles to stress‑test life support, controls, and procedures that can only be checked in space.[1][2][12] They will also help refine operations concepts and lessons from Artemis II, the earlier crewed flight around the Moon, so later missions do not repeat the same mistakes.[2][9]
Is America Still Leading The Race Back To The Moon?
When Artemis was announced years ago, NASA originally described Artemis III as the mission that would put Americans back on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17.[3][7] That promise has now slipped to Artemis IV after schedule pressure, technical problems, and the sheer complexity of new landers forced another delay.[1][3][7] Independent coverage notes that Artemis III now looks more like Apollo 9, which tested docking in Earth orbit before the first Moon landing.[3][7]
Congrats to the Artemis III crew. Houston is home to so many of our MsSuzie families.
Thank you for showing our children what dedication looks like @NASA
We'll be cheering. Astro Randy, @astro_luca @astrofrankrubio @Astro_AndreD pic.twitter.com/X9gKfLHo9e
— MsSuzie (@MsSuzie_) June 10, 2026
Supporters argue this slower, test‑heavy path is the only way to avoid deadly failures and to build a long‑term presence on the Moon instead of a quick stunt.[1][2][12] Critics counter that Washington has poured tens of billions into the Space Launch System rocket and Orion while still not delivering a single new landing, even as rivals like China race to reach the lunar South Pole.[3][7][8] With Artemis III, American taxpayers get another expensive dress rehearsal, while the real finish line keeps moving further out.
Sources:
[1] Web – America Has Its Artemis III Crew – The Race Back to the Moon Is On
[2] Web – Artemis III – Wikipedia
[3] Web – NASA to Announce Artemis III Crew, Provide Mission Progress Update
[7] Web – New Artemis III astronauts just announced. NASA just … – Instagram
[8] Web – NASA Marches Toward Artemis III Mission in 2027, Names Crew Members
[9] Web – NASA names Artemis III crew for high-stakes lander test
[12] Web – Is this the next Artemis crew? A look at the astronauts on NASA’s …
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