NASA has selected California astronaut Randy Bresnik to command the Artemis III mission, a critical test flight scheduled for 2027. - Bresnik, a retired Marine colonel from Santa Monica, will lead a four-person crew.
- The mission will test docking with commercial lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin in Earth orbit. - Artemis III is a key step toward returning humans to the moon by 2028.
- The announcement follows the successful Artemis II mission in April 2026. NASA officials expressed confidence in the mission's timeline despite recent development delays with the commercial landers.