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NASA Names Artemis III Crew for 2027 In‑Orbit Lander Docking Test

The announcement marks a focused step toward crewed lunar landings by testing rendezvous procedures with commercial landers as NASA evaluates partner readiness.

Northrop Grumman's twin solid rocket booster segments aboard the train to Kennedy Space Center.
The Artemis II crewed lunar mission lifts off from Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 1, 2026. Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket April 1 on a long-anticipated journey around the Moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. With an intense roar that reverberated far beyond the launchpad, the enormous orange-and-white rocket carried three Americans and one Canadian away from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at approximately 6:35 pm local time, according to an AFP journalist onsite. "We're going to the Moon!" yelled a spectator. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • NASA revealed the four astronauts chosen for Artemis III during a June 9 live event and said it will provide a program confidence update on the mission.
  • Artemis III is now planned as a mid-2027 low‑Earth‑orbit demonstration to practice rendezvous and docking between Orion and one or both commercial Human Landing Systems.
  • NASA and contractors have advanced government hardware for the flight, including delivery of final SLS solid rocket booster segments to Kennedy Space Center ahead of booster stacking.
  • Recent setbacks to commercial partners include Blue Origin’s May 28 New Glenn pad explosion that damaged its Cape Canaveral launch site and an FAA pause tied to a SpaceX Starship engine issue, and NASA said it is assessing how those problems affect lander availability and the schedule.
  • The crew will begin mission-specific training immediately in Orion mockups, and NASA says the test will inform which lander is chosen for the first crewed lunar surface attempt planned for Artemis IV in 2028.