NASA has named California astronaut Randy Bresnik to command Artemis III, a 2027 mission testing docking with commercial lunar landers. - Bresnik, a Santa Monica native and retired Marine colonel, will lead a four-person crew.
- The mission involves three rocket launches and docking with SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers. - Artemis III is a critical step before planned moon landings as early as 2028.
- The crew includes Italian pilot Luca Parmitano and NASA mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.