NASA has faced criticism for selecting an all-male crew for the Artemis III test mission, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than summer 2027. The selection of four astronauts—Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and Luca Parmitano—has drawn reactions ranging from disappointment to outrage. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman explained that the decision was based on factors such as astronauts' backgrounds, expertise, training, and availability, with some astronauts being prioritized for other missions like those involving the International Space Station.
NASA has announced the four astronauts who will take part in the next mission of the Artemis moon program, kicking off a year or more of mission-specific training for the Artemis III crew.
They are expected to launch into Earth orbit next year to test rendezvous and docking procedures with moon landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin — a critical milestone before the U.S. can send astronauts back to the moon for landing in 2028.
Meet the Artemis III crew
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman introduced the crew members at a press event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. They are:
Commander Randy "Komrade" Bresnik
Pilot Luca Parmitano
Mission specialist Frank Rubio
Mission specialist Andre Douglas
Bob Hines was named the backup crew member.
NASA introduced the Artemis III crew members at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on June 9, 2026. L-R: Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas.
NASA TV
Bresnik, 58, is a former Marine fighter pilot and "TOPGUN" graduate who logged 149 days in space during a space shuttle flight in 2009 and a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station in 2017.
Parmitano, 49, an astronaut with the European Space Agency, was the first Italian commander of the space station and an Italian air force test pilot.
Douglas, 40, is a test engineer and Coast Guard reserve commander who will be making his first space flight on Artemis III. He served as a backup crew member for the recently completed Artemis II around-the-moon mission
Rubio, 49, is an Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot and a family medicine physician. He spent a U.S. record 371 days in space aboard the ISS in 2022-23.
"We are certainly humbled as a crew," Bresnik told the crowd at the Johnson Space Center, "being that unifying link between the phenomenal Artemis II mission we just had two months ago and the Artemis IV mission that will follow ours, where we will again ... land humans on another celestial body."
Douglas told CBS News, "To get an opportunity to serve in the Artemis program as someone who kind of just came in the door not too long ago, it's a huge honor."
Speaking of returning to space after his record-setting trip, Rubio said it's "part of my job, ultimately, and it's something I love, and I'm blessed enough to have a supportive family who's willing to try it again." He also called it an honor and privilege.
Added Parmitano: "My personal take, we as astronauts, we don't make any sacrifices. We do what we love and love what we do. Our families, though, they make the sacrifice every time we go away for a trip. Every time we break their hearts for two weeks, for 371 days, for six months. I have learned to embrace that hurt, because it reminds me that I still have the right values in my heart."
What the Artemis III mission will do
Launching atop a Space Launch System rocket in an Orion capsule, Bresnik's crew will practice chasing down one moon lander at a time to make sure rendezvous and docking procedures work as planned before a future moon landing when those procedures will have to be carried out in lunar orbit.
The flight will pose a major test for mission managers and engineers with NASA, SpaceX and Blue Origin, who will have to launch multiple heavy-lift rockets in a matter of days and then coordinate their flights in a multi-vehicle sequence of tightly scripted maneuvers.
"This test flight will enable us to prove we can carry out highly choreographed operations with our (commercial) partners across hardware interfaces, software, propulsion systems and life support elements with crew in the high stakes space environment," said Jeremy Parsons, a senior manager in NASA's "Moon to Mars" program office.
"Are we able to launch in sequence with our partners across multiple launch pads and meet up at precise points in space? How do our spacecraft, designed and built across NASA and different partners, operate together in an integrated way in an unforgiving environment?"
He said "every aspect" of the Artemis III mission "will give us insight into how to refine our plans for Artemis IV and beyond, and buy down risk."
"Sometimes those [launches] don't go exactly when we plan on it," Bresnik told CBS News. "... So that's multiple launch campaigns. The complexity of the timing. How much loiter capability does one have if one's delayed? This is all stuff that we need to figure out if we're going to be able to do the more complex rendezvousing everybody in lunar orbit."
The Artemis III crew will carry out a mission similar to NASA's Apollo 9 flight in March 1969, when three astronauts tested the spindly lunar excursion module in Earth orbit. That flight came after a successful lunar orbit mission, Apollo 8, at the end of 1968.
Then the Apollo 10 flight tested the lunar module in orbit around the moon before Apollo 11 finally made the first moon landing in the Sea of Tranquility in July 1969.
The Artemis program's version of Apollo 8, sending Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, Vi…
Read the full article at CBS News (US) →NASA's Artemis III mission is beginning to take shape with a crew that has a mix of training and experience to help accomplish the mission.
Bias read (Center): The article does not present any political bias. It focuses on the technical aspects of NASA's Artemis III mission without taking a stance or using biased language.
NASA has faced criticism for selecting an all-male crew for the Artemis III test mission, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than summer 2027. The selection of four astronauts—Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and Luca Parmitano—has drawn reactions ranging from disappointment to outrage. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman explained that the decision was based on factors such as astronauts' backgrounds, expertise, training, and availability, with some astronauts being prioritized for other missions like those involving the International Space Station.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both the criticism of the all-male crew selection and NASA's explanation for the decision without overtly favoring either side. It includes direct quotes from critics and officials, providing balanced perspectives without editorializing or using biased language.
Official sources cited
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the selection of an all-male crew for the Artemis III mission, stating that the decision was based on the astronauts' experience, skills, and availability. He acknowledged public reactions ranging from disappointment to outrage but emphasized that previous NASA missions included significant female representation both in leadership and among astronauts. The article notes that the most recent astronaut candidate class selected by NASA included a majority of women.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both the criticism of the all-male crew selection and NASA administrator's defense of it without overtly favoring either side. It includes direct quotes from Isaacman and mentions public reactions, providing balanced coverage of the situation.
Official sources cited
NASA has selected four astronauts for the Artemis III lunar training mission, which is described as highly complex. The crew includes NASA astronaut and commander Randy Bresnik, European Space Agency pilot Luca Parmitano, and NASA mission specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas. They are set to launch next year.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about NASA's selection of astronauts for a lunar mission without any apparent ideological framing, loaded language, or biased sourcing. It focuses on the technical details of the mission and the identities of the crew members.
NASA has announced the crew for Artemis III, which will conduct a high-stakes test of the lunar lander.
Bias read (Center): The article discusses a scientific mission by NASA, which is a non-partisan organization. The content focuses on the announcement of a crew for a lunar landing test without any apparent political framing or bias.
NASA has selected four astronauts for the Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the Moon. The crew includes Commander Randy Bresnik, Pilot Luca Parmitano, and Mission Specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas. The team will undergo training for a mission that involves testing rendezvous and docking procedures with lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. Backup crew member Bob Hines was also named.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about NASA's announcement of the Artemis III crew without any apparent ideological framing, biased language, or selective emphasis. It focuses on the technical aspects of the mission and introduces the astronauts' backgrounds objectively.
Official sources cited
NASA has announced the crew for the Artemis III lunar mission, set for a late 2027 launch. The crew includes Mission Specialists Andre Douglas and Col. Frank Rubio, Pilot Luca Parmitano, and Commander Randy Bresnik, with Bob Hines serving as backup. The mission aims to build on the success of Artemis II, which orbited the far side of the moon. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the astronauts during a press conference.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about NASA's Artemis III mission without taking a stance on political issues. It focuses on the announcement of the crew members and their roles, quoting NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman but presenting it neutrally. There is no evident framing that favors a
Official sources cited
NASA has announced the four astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission, which marks the first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo era. The mission involves collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin, with plans to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about NASA's Artemis III mission without apparent ideological framing. It focuses on the selection of astronauts and the technical aspects of the mission, avoiding political commentary or biased language.
Official sources cited
NASA has selected four astronauts to participate in the upcoming Artemis mission, which aims to test moon landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. This marks a key step in NASA's broader Artemis program, designed to eventually return humans to the lunar surface.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual summary of NASA's announcement without taking a stance on the political implications of the Artemis program or the companies involved. It does not include any biased language, one-sided sourcing, or editorial commentary.
Official sources cited
NASA announced the four astronauts selected for the Artemis III mission, which will serve as a test for new commercial lunar landers intended for future moon missions. The crew includes Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas, with Bob Hines designated as a backup. The mission aims to verify complex operations involving hardware, software, and life support systems in space. SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing the landers for the Artemis IV mission in 2028.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about NASA's Artemis III mission without taking a stance on any political issue. It focuses on technical details, personnel assignments, and the involvement of private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, all presented neutrally.
Official sources cited
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