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NASA Announces All-Male Artemis III Crew, Women Await IV

6/12/2026

Summary

NASA Announces All-Male

NASA announced on June 9, 2026 that the Artemis III crew will be all male, naming commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano, specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the crew was chosen for experience and availability, not a political appointment.
Reactions ranged from disappointment to outrage, critics noting the irony of an all-male Artemis crew.
Backup astronaut Bob Hines will train with the crew while NASA officials said women could fly on Artemis IV.

Summary

NASA Preps Artemis

NASA will integrate Orion’s crew and service modules and install its docking system this summer for Artemis III.
Engineers will ultrasonic-inspect each heat-shield block before mounting them on Orion’s shield this summer.
The SLS core stage will receive its engine section and four RS-25 engines later this summer.
After docked operations with Blue Origin’s lander and SpaceX’s Starship pathfinder, Orion will splash down for recovery by a NASA-U.S. Navy team.

History

Historical Context

President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 pledge spurred the Apollo program, whose all-male crews landed six times between 1969 and 1972 and drew an estimated 500 million viewers for Apollo 11. Decades later, NASA’s Artemis II launched in 2026 with the first woman and first Black astronaut to orbit the Moon, highlighting a shift from Apollo’s exclusive roster.

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NASA Announces All-Male

NASA announced on June 9, 2026 that the Artemis III crew will be all male, naming commander Randy Bresnik, pilot Luca Parmitano, specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the crew was chosen for experience and availability, not a political appointment.
Reactions ranged from disappointment to outrage, critics noting the irony of an all-male Artemis crew.
Backup astronaut Bob Hines will train with the crew while NASA officials said women could fly on Artemis IV.

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