# NASA names the Artemis III crew for a 2027 Earth-orbit docking test

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/stories/nasa-names-the-artemis-iii-crew-for-a-2027-earth-orbit-docking-test-a2f0e4c0
Date: 9 Jun 2026
About: [NASA](https://technooptimist.io/companies/nasa.md) · [Orion](https://technooptimist.io/spaceflight/orion-artemis.md)
Original source: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-marches-toward-artemis-iii-mission-in-2027-names-crew-members/

NASA named the four-person crew for Artemis III, a crewed test in low Earth orbit rather than a lunar landing. The mission is planned to launch on SLS with Orion and test docking with lander pathfinders from Blue Origin and SpaceX.

## Key facts

- The crew is Randy Bresnik (commander), Luca Parmitano of ESA (pilot), and Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio (mission specialists); Bob Hines is backup.
- Orion would dock with Blue Origin's lander pathfinder for about two days, then meet SpaceX's Starship pathfinder for about one day of checkouts.
- The mission would last about two weeks and end with a Pacific splashdown; NASA gives no launch date, only 'in 2027'.

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