ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano selected for Artemis 3, German astronauts eye Moon flight

NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for launch in 2027, will test the Orion spacecraft’s docking with lunar landers in low‑Earth orbit but will not land on the Moon. The crew will include U.S. astronauts Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio and commander Randy Bresnik, with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano serving as pilot – making him the first European to fly on an Artemis mission.

German ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer, both veterans of the International Space Station, said they are confident they will fly to the Moon on later missions such as Artemis 4 or 5. Maurer told the German Press Agency, “We are convinced we will make the way to the Moon.” ESA chief Josef Aschbacher confirmed he decides who flies first, stating, “It is my decision.” The shift from an expected German astronaut to an Italian reflects NASA’s recent strategy change, aimed at accelerating lunar‑orbit tests amid growing geopolitical competition.