NASA announced the four-person crew for its Artemis III lunar mission following Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explosion during an engine test on May 28. The crew includes NASA astronauts Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Randy Bresnik, alongside European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, for the mission planned to launch in 2027. Blue Origin holds a vital position in creating a lunar base, with its New Glenn rocket designated as primary transport infrastructure. Senior NASA official Jeremy Parsons stated setbacks are a learning opportunity and NASA is deploying all its knowledge to help solve current problems, while Blue Origin executive John Couluris confirmed excellent progress following the significant anomaly.
NASA Names Four Astronauts for Artemis III Mission
NASA unveiled the astronauts who will participate in the Artemis III mission at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. The four crew members are Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Randy Bresnik from NASA, and Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency. NASA chief Jared Isaacman stated, "We are returning to the Moon. A grand adventure back to the lunar surface to build a moon base, and to do so for all of its scientific, its economic potential and to master the skills for where we will inevitably go next."
Blue Origin Confirms Progress After May 28 Explosion
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during an engine test at the close of last month. John Couluris, senior vice president of lunar permanence at Blue Origin, stated, "As you know, we had a significant anomaly at our launch complex 36a on May 28. The response from NASA, our partners and customers has been extraordinary. We're making excellent progress on the investigation and pad clean-up." Couluris confirmed the company will begin rebuilding once clean-up is complete, while continuing construction at launch complex 36b. He emphasized Blue Origin's determination "to be part of the journey of returning humans to the Moon" and stated they would be measured "not only by our successes, but how we respond to setbacks."
Jeremy Parsons, who leads Artemis, said, "We have many partners involved in making Artemis III successful and while we recognise there are questions about how Blue Origin's recent anomaly impacts our plans, setbacks are a learning opportunity. We are confident that New Glenn will be ready for Artemis III, together with Blue Origin, but NASA is stepping in and bringing all of our expertise and capabilities to bear."
Artemis III Mission to Test Lunar Lander Docking Procedures
The four crew members will examine low Earth orbit docking procedures between the Orion spacecraft and commercial lunar landers created by Blue Origin and SpaceX. The landers are set to transport humans to the surface of the Moon in 2028. SpaceX vice president Jessica Jensen stated, "We're incredibly excited to help return humans to the Moon once again, and this time to stay." The mission forms part of plans to establish a lunar base and will be implemented across three phases.
FAQ
What did NASA announce following the Blue Origin rocket explosion?
NASA announced the four-person crew for its Artemis III lunar mission following Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explosion during an engine test on May 28. The crew includes NASA astronauts Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Randy Bresnik, alongside European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.
When is the Artemis III mission planned to launch?
The Artemis III mission is planned to launch in 2027, with lunar landers set to transport humans to the Moon's surface in 2028.
How did Blue Origin respond to the May 28 explosion?
Blue Origin executive John Couluris confirmed the company is making excellent progress on the investigation and pad clean-up following the significant anomaly on May 28. He stated Blue Origin will begin rebuilding once clean-up is complete while continuing construction at launch complex 36b.
