Credit: REUTERSARTEMIS is set to make headlines once again following the announcement of its latest NASA mission, Artemis III.
After four astronauts embarked on a historic 10-day trip around the Moon and back as part of , the next adventure is not far behind.
Here is everything you need to know about Artemis III, including when it is scheduled to start and who the crew members are.
The current programme began with Artemis I, which saw the Orion craft carry a test flight without any crew around the moon in 2022 Credit: Getty Images
When does Artemis III start?
will start no earlier than in the final months of late 2027.
Specific details have not yet been announced by , but those are expected to be released closer to the time of the launch.
The current programme began with Artemis I, which saw the Orion craft carry a test flight without any crew around the moon in 2022.
Who are the Artemis III crew members?
Randy Bresnik
Bresnik has also flown to the International Space Station in 2017 as a flight engineer for Expeditions 52 and 53. Credit: Getty Images
Hailing from Santa Monica, California, Bresnik is one of only two astronauts in history to have a child who was born while they were in space.
Bresnik graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from The Citadel Military College of South Carolina in 1989 and secured his Master’s degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2002.
He has also flown to the in 2017 as a flight engineer for Expeditions 52 and 53.
Luca Parmitano
Parmitano is, quirkily, the first person to have worked as a DJ to enter space. Credit: AP Photo/Annie Mulligan
Born in Catania, Italy, Parmitano obtained a master’s in political sciences from the University of Naples Federico II in 1999.
He has been an astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA) selected since 2009.
This has seen him serve as a flight engineer on ISS Expeditions 60 and 61 in 2018 and is, quirkily, the first person to have worked as a DJ to enter .
Frank Rubio
Rubio, left, was part of the Soyuz MS-22 mission to the ISS, during which time he broke the record for the longest spaceflight by a US astronaut at an astonishing 371 days Credit: Getty Images
Rubio was born in Los Angeles, California and went on to serve as a helicopter pilot in the US Army after earning his Bachelor’s degree in international relations
In 2022, Frank was part of the Soyuz MS-22 mission to the ISS, during which time he broke the record for the longest by a US astronaut at an astonishing 371 days.
Andre Douglas
Being part of the Artemis III crew will be particularly special for Douglas, left, as it marks his first ever spaceflight. Credit: Getty Images
Born in Chesapeake, Virginia, Douglas earned a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the US Coast Guard Academy in 2008.
His career has seen him work on NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission before he was selected as a in 2021.
Being part of the Artemis III crew will be particularly special for Douglas, as it marks his first ever spaceflight.
What is the Artemis programme’s full schedule?
Artemis II successfully launched earlier this year on 1 April 2026 after being delayed from launching in February and March.
Artemis III is set to launch in late 2027, but that timeslot could also be delayed given we are currently still only halfway through 2026.
Currently, Artemis IV and Artemis are schedule to launch in early 2028 and late 2028 respectively.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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