Science TechnologySaturday, 20 June 2026·The Hindu - Science
NASA’s Artemis III crew and 2027 docking test with SpaceX Starship, Blue Origin Blue Moon
NASA named four astronauts on June 9, 2026 for Artemis III, a 2027 low-Earth-orbit docking mission testing SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin Blue Moon.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In June 2026, NASA announced the Artemis III crew in Houston for a 2027 low-Earth-orbit docking mission that will test SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon with the Orion spacecraft.
Key specifics
- NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman named 4 astronauts on June 9, 2026: Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, Randy Bresnik and Luca Parmitano.
- Randy Bresnik, 58, was named mission commander and has 3 spaceflights to his credit.
- Artemis III is planned as a 2-week mission and is the final mission before NASA’s 2028 lunar-surface landing attempt.
- Blue Moon will dock with Orion for about 2 days, and Starship will dock for about 1 day before return to Earth.
- Artemis I flew in 2022 without a crew, while Artemis II carried 3 U.S. astronauts and 1 Canadian astronaut around the Moon in April 2026.
Exam lens
Science & technology current affairs, crew names, mission sequence, 2027 and 2028 milestones, Orion-Starship-Blue Moon pairing; TNPSC may ask match-the-following on Artemis missions and the first European astronaut in an Artemis crew.