NASA Appoints European Astronaut to Pilot Artemis III Moon Mission

NASA has appointed Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano as the pilot for the Artemis III mission, making him the first European to be involved in a major crewed spaceflight programme led by the American space agency. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the four-member crew, along with one reserve member, for the 2027 flight on Tuesday. The mission will test a new generation of lunar lander vehicles, not on the Moon as initially planned, but closer to home in Earth orbit. NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik has been named mission commander, while Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio will serve as mission specialists. The three American astronauts, together with Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency, will orbit Earth whilst practising docking manoeuvres between the Orion capsule and two lunar landers. NASA described the test as a challenging yet crucial step for Artemis IV, the first crewed mission planned to reach the Moon’s south pole in 2028. NASA astronaut Bob Hines was appointed as the reserve crew member, standing by in the event of an emergency. Artemis III is intended to surpass the success of Artemis II two months ago, when humans circled the Moon for the first time in more than five decades. That April mission also broke the distance record previously achieved by the 1970 Apollo 13 flight. ‘Today we take the next bold step in humanity’s quest to return to the Moon, building on the extraordinary foundation laid by the Artemis II astronauts,’ said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. ‘The Artemis III astronauts, together with ESA and our international partners, and tens of thousands of the very best talent at NASA and the space industry, are opening a new golden era of space exploration. They carry the hopes and dreams of the next generation, just as the Apollo astronauts inspired many of us,’ he said. Parmitano will be the second non-American member involved in the Artemis programme, following Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who flew on the Artemis II mission. The 49-year-old was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2009 and has completed two missions to the International Space Station. Parmitano studied at the Italian Air Force Academy and previously served as a test pilot. He also has experience conducting extravehicular activities, or spacewalks, which are notoriously dangerous. During one spacewalk in 2013, Parmitano nearly lost his life when his helmet began to fill with water owing to a spacesuit cooling system failure. The incident occurred during a planned six-hour extravehicular activity. He is also known as the first person to perform a DJ set live from space. ‘I feel honoured and humble to be part of this crew. My colleagues bring a vast array of highly valuable experience. I look forward to the opportunity of working together with them, learning, and giving my very best according to my role,’ Parmitano said in a statement after being appointed as Artemis III’s prime pilot. Parmitano’s involvement in NASA’s Artemis programme is seen as a victory for Italy, as NASA’s other international partners also seek a greater role in the space exploration programme. In a statement, Italian Space Agency President Teodoro Valente said that Parmitano’s selection for Artemis III ‘confirms and strengthens the role and capability of the European and Italian space system in human exploration of the universe.’