New York: NASA has unveiled the four astronauts selected for its Artemis III mission, a crucial step in the agency's long-term plan to return humans to the Moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars.

The announcement comes two months after the successful Artemis II mission, which completed a record-breaking journey around the Moon and surpassed the distance record previously held by Apollo 13.

The Artemis III crew will consist of NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. While the mission will not involve a lunar landing, the astronauts will conduct a major rehearsal in Earth orbit by practising docking manoeuvres between NASA's Orion spacecraft and lunar landers being developed for future Moon missions.

"To the Artemis III crew, we wish you Godspeed on the journey ahead," said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

The two-week demonstration mission is currently targeted for 2027 and will play a key role in validating technologies needed for future lunar surface operations.

SpaceX, Blue Origin Race to Build Lunar Landers

Private space companies SpaceX and Blue Origin are competing to provide the lunar landers that will support NASA's Moon exploration plans.

Blue Origin recently faced a setback after one of its giant rockets exploded during an engine-firing test at a Florida launch facility, producing a massive fireball and shaking nearby communities.

Despite the incident, NASA remains confident in the company's ability to meet mission timelines.

NASA official Jeremy Parsons described the explosion as a valuable learning experience and said the agency remains confident that Blue Origin's rocket will be ready when needed.

NASA's Artemis programme seeks to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era ended in the 1970s. Under a revised roadmap announced by Isaacman, the agency plans to accelerate its lunar ambitions with additional testing missions before targeting a crewed Moon landing in 2028.

"We are certainly humbled as a crew to be able to be your crew that executes this Artemis III mission in space," said Bresnik, who will command the mission.

Mission specialist Andre Douglas shared his excitement following the announcement.

"My brain - it is going a mile a minute right now. But my heart, it is so warm. It is so full."

NASA is also laying the groundwork for long-term lunar exploration. In May, the agency awarded contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to four companies, including Blue Origin, to develop lunar landers, rovers and robotic systems for a future Moon base.

According to Isaacman, establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon is intended to prepare humanity for its next giant leap — a crewed mission to Mars.