NASA confirms Artemis III crew and mission profile for 2027 low-Earth orbit test
The all-male crew for the Artemis III mission was unveiled at the Johnson Space Center, marking a critical risk-reduction step before the planned 2028 lunar landing.
NASA announced the crew for the Artemis III mission on Tuesday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, revealing an experienced, all-male group with military backgrounds. The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than summer 2027 as a two-week low-Earth orbit test flight. This flight serves as a vital bridge between the recently completed Artemis II lunar flyby and Artemis IV, the first crewed mission to the lunar South Pole planned for 2028.
Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed confidence in the 2027 launch and 2028 lunar landing timelines, stating that Americans should expect excellence from the agency. However, these schedules are viewed as aggressive by space industry experts, who note that NASA typically operates on longer development cycles. The timeline faces additional scrutiny following the catastrophic damage to Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch facilities in Florida in May, which has led many experts to predict a 12 to 18-month delay for the rocket’s return to flight.
The mission profile involves three separate launches to validate rendezvous and docking capabilities with commercial human landing systems. The first launch will deploy a Blue Origin “lander test vehicle” capable of loitering in orbit for up to 90 days. Subsequently, the four astronauts will launch aboard the Orion spacecraft atop a Space Launch System rocket. The crew will dock with the Blue Moon lander to test life support systems, with Orion controlling the combined vehicles during flight.
Following the undocking from Blue Origin, the crew will rendezvous with a SpaceX Starship vehicle launched on a third rocket. This Starship will be equipped only with a docking adapter and lacks life support equipment, meaning the crew will not enter the vehicle. The mission concludes with the crew undocking from Starship and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
Isaacman emphasised that the agency will not proceed with the launch until they are confident the objectives sufficiently reduce risk for the subsequent lunar landing. He acknowledged the challenges posed by the New Glenn explosion but stated that Blue Origin expects to return the rocket to flight before the end of the year. NASA officials maintain that New Glenn will be ready next year to launch the Blue Moon lander for Artemis III, ensuring the mission can effectively demonstrate the complex maneuvers required for the lunar landing.
