Artemis
Artemis III
A crewed 2027 demonstration mission in low Earth orbit designed to test Orion and commercial lunar lander operations before the first Artemis surface landing.
Launch
2027
Duration
To be determined
Crew
4 astronauts
Mission record
Artemis archive entry · In Development
Mission Overview
The mission
Artemis III is a planned crewed demonstration mission that will test critical systems required for future lunar landings. Four astronauts will launch aboard Orion and the Space Launch System before conducting rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking demonstrations in low Earth orbit with test versions of commercial human landing systems developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Mission Details
Target Launch
2027
Crew Size
4 astronauts
Primary Destination
Low Earth orbit
Mission Type
Crewed demonstration
Status
In development
Mission by the Numbers
Mission Statistics
Mission Type
Crewed Earth-Orbit Demonstration
Launch Vehicle
space-launch-system-block-1
Crew
4 astronauts
Status
In Development
The People Behind the Mission
Crew
The astronauts assigned to command, operate, and carry out the mission.
Commander
Randy Bresnik
Randy Bresnik is assigned as commander of Artemis III, a mission designed to test critical systems needed for future lunar landings.
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Pilot
Luca Parmitano
ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano is assigned as pilot of Artemis III.
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Mission Specialist
Andre Douglas
Andre Douglas is assigned as a mission specialist for Artemis III.
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Mission Specialist
Frank Rubio
Frank Rubio is assigned as a mission specialist for Artemis III after completing the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut.
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Mission Goals
Mission objectives
- 01
Demonstrate crewed Orion operations in low Earth orbit
- 02
Test rendezvous and proximity operations with commercial landing-system test vehicles
- 03
Demonstrate docking procedures between Orion and commercial human landing systems
- 04
Evaluate integrated communications, navigation, and flight-control systems
- 05
Reduce technical and operational risk before the Artemis IV lunar landing
- 06
Develop procedures for transferring crews between Orion and lunar landing systems
Fascinating Details
Did You Know?
Key did you know? recorded for this mission.
Artemis III was publicized for years as NASA's first Artemis Moon landing, but the mission has been restructured into a crewed demonstration flight that stays in low Earth orbit.
The mission is designed to test rendezvous and docking between Orion and lunar lander vehicles being developed by two competing companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Pilot Luca Parmitano is a European Space Agency astronaut, one of several international crew members planned for Artemis missions.
Even though Artemis III is a direct step toward returning astronauts to the lunar surface, the mission itself never leaves Earth orbit.
Engineering Reality
Challenges
Key challenges recorded for this mission.
Coordinate multiple independently developed spacecraft and flight-control systems
Demonstrate safe rendezvous and docking with commercial landing-system test vehicles
Validate procedures that will later be performed in lunar orbit
Mission Timeline
2027
Planned Launch
Four astronauts are scheduled to launch aboard Orion on NASA's Space Launch System.
During the mission
Orion Systems Demonstration
The crew will evaluate Orion operations and prepare for rendezvous demonstrations in low Earth orbit.
During the mission
Commercial Lander Rendezvous
Orion will conduct proximity operations with one or more commercial human landing-system test vehicles.
During the mission
Docking Demonstration
The mission will test docking systems and procedures needed for future crew transfers in lunar orbit.
Mission conclusion
Return and Recovery
Orion will reenter Earth's atmosphere and splash down in the Pacific Ocean.
Mission Hardware
Spacecraft
The launch vehicles, capsules, modules, landers, and other systems assigned to the mission.
Hardware profiles in development
Space Launch System
Launch Vehicle
Orion
Capsule
European Service Module
Service Module
SpaceX Starship Human Landing System Test Vehicle
Lander
Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 2 Test Vehicle
Lander
Mission Photo Archive
NASA ID: jsc2025e016285
Artemis III Orion Crew Module
Technicians work on the Artemis III Orion crew module inside the Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center, preparing the spacecraft planned to carry the next astronauts to walk on the Moon. Artemis III is targeting a landing near the lunar south pole, a region never explored by the Apollo astronauts and of particular interest for its permanently shadowed craters, which are thought to hold deposits of water ice.
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NASA ID: NASA
Official Portrait of Randy Bresnik
NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik is assigned to command Artemis III. A former U.S. Marine Corps pilot, Bresnik previously flew aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-129 in 2009 and later commanded the International Space Station during Expedition 53 in 2017.
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NASA ID: ESA
Official Portrait of Luca Parmitano
European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano is assigned as pilot of Artemis III. A former Italian Air Force pilot, Parmitano has flown two long-duration missions to the International Space Station, commanding Expedition 61 in 2019.
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NASA ID: NASA
Official Portrait of Andre Douglas
NASA astronaut Andre Douglas is assigned as a mission specialist on Artemis III. A former U.S. Coast Guard officer and engineer, Douglas joined NASA's astronaut corps in 2021, and Artemis III is set to be his first spaceflight.
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NASA ID: NASA
Official Portrait of Frank Rubio
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is assigned as a mission specialist on Artemis III. A former U.S. Army flight surgeon and helicopter pilot, Rubio previously set the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American, spending 371 days aboard the International Space Station after a coolant leak extended his 2022-2023 mission.
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