NASA to announce Artemis III astronauts Tuesday. Here's what to know.

NASA will reveal the four astronauts assigned to the Artemis III mission during a live announcement on June 9, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. EDT. The crew will launch aboard the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, targeting a test flight in Earth orbit as early as next year. This mission will evaluate docking procedures with either Blue Origin’s Mark 2 or SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS) lander, both of which are critical for future lunar surface missions. Artemis III follows the successful Artemis II mission in April, which sent a four-person crew around the moon—the first lunar flyby in over 50 years. Originally planned for a 2028 moon landing, the mission was redefined to focus on Earth orbit testing due to SLS rocket delays and technical hurdles with the landers. NASA aims to increase SLS launch frequency and validate docking systems before attempting a lunar landing. Blue Origin faced a major setback on May 28 when its New Glenn rocket exploded during a static fire test at Cape Canaveral, destroying the vehicle and damaging the launch pad. The rocket was intended to launch Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark II lunar lander, raising questions about the company’s ability to meet NASA’s 2027 launch timeline. CEO Dave Limp has pledged to resume launches by year’s end, but the cause of the failure and pad repairs remain unresolved. SpaceX’s Starship, another contender for the Artemis III lander, has yet to achieve orbit despite multiple test flights from Starbase, Texas. Engine issues and booster failures have delayed progress, leaving the timeline for crewed lunar missions uncertain. Both companies must resolve these challenges to support NASA’s goal of returning astronauts to the moon’s surface by 2028 under Artemis IV. The Artemis III crew announcement comes as NASA balances technical risks with ambitious timelines, prioritizing safety amid ongoing developments in lunar exploration infrastructure.