NASA Administrator announces two Italian astronauts will walk on the Moon

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has publicly stated that two Italian astronauts will walk on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program. This announcement was made during the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in Maryland.

The commitment is linked to a Statement of Intent signed in March between Italy and the United States. A central component of this collaboration is Italy's contribution of the Multi-Purpose Habitation Module (MPH), a pressurized cylindrical module designed for long-term lunar surface habitation near the Moon's south pole. The MPH is being developed by Thales Alenia Space Italia, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, with design work centered in Turin.

While specific names, mission dates, and landing schedules have not been formalized in an official NASA communiqué, the announcement follows significant Italian involvement in the program, including ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano's role in the Artemis missions. Isaacman noted that the Italian contribution to the program is valued at over $5 billion.