NASA reveals Artemis III crew

(NewsNation) — NASA announced the Artemis III crew on Tuesday, as efforts toward a moon base continue.

The four astronauts to board Artemis III, with a targeted launch date of late 2027, include Mission Specialists Andre Douglas and Col. Frank Rubio, Pilot Luca Parmitano and Commander Randy Bresnik. Bob Hines will serve as the backup crew member and will train alongside the four others.

The next astronauts to head toward the moon will follow in the footsteps of the Artemis II crew, who made history as the first team to fly around the dark side of the moon.

“The NASA astronauts… are ushering in the golden age of discovery,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in a press conference Tuesday. “They are carrying forward the hopes and dreams of the next generation just as the Apollo astronauts did for so many of us.”

The mission is expected to last around two weeks.

“We wish you Godspeed on the journey ahead,” Isaacman said.

Who are the astronauts on Artemis III?

Andre Douglas is one of two mission specialists expected to board Artemis III. He’s a test engineer and Coast Guard reserve commander, and this will be his first mission. NASA selected Douglas to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class and first reported for duty in January 2022.

Col. Frank Rubio is the second mission specialist. NASA selected Rubio as an astronaut in 2017. He spent 371 days in space aboard the........

© The Hill