Next year’s NASA Artemis III mission will surprisingly feature an all-male crew. This news ignited debates following NASA’s announcement of the four astronauts chosen for the landmark mission.
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“The decision not to include women in the Artemis III crew is astounding,” remarks space influencer Alexandra Doten, known as Astro Alexandra. She posted on Tuesday.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman tackled the backlash directly on Wednesday.
“Reactions have ranged from disappointment to anger,” Isaacman stated.
He explained that some potential astronauts might not have been selected due to prior commitments, such as their readiness for missions to the International Space Station or specialized skills for future Artemis missions targeting lunar landings.
“We evaluate many aspects, including an astronaut’s background and expertise, such as test-pilot experience and relevant program development,” he said.
The Artemis III crew consists of NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas, along with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. Set to launch by summer 2027, their objective is to test two commercial lunar landers for the upcoming 2028 Artemis IV mission, conducting the test in Earth orbit for approximately two weeks.
Both SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing these lunar landers, aiming to demonstrate crucial rendezvous and docking operations between NASA’s Orion capsule and the new landers during the Artemis III mission.
For the Artemis IV mission scheduled for next year, one of the landers will link with the Orion spacecraft, which previously hosted Artemis II astronauts on a successful ten-day orbit around Earth and the moon in April. The lunar lander will eventually ferry astronauts to the moon’s surface and return to Earth after docking with Orion.
Since 2023, NASA has committed to landing the first woman and first person of color on the moon as part of its Artemis mission series. However, this commitment was notably removed from some of the agency’s webpages last year, in a move linked to former President Trump’s initiatives on diversity and inclusion.
Isaacman clarified that NASA’s crew selection process is apolitical, aiming to dispel concerns regarding any potential Trump administration influences on the decisions made.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
NASA may reserve its most experienced female astronaut for the Artemis IV mission, although her identity remains undisclosed.
The agency boasts a strong roster of female astronauts; out of 37 active astronauts eligible for NASA missions, 15 are women. Last year saw a historic milestone as NASA’s latest class of 10 astronaut candidates included a majority of women for the first time.
Astronomy PhD candidate Jasmin Singh, known as @astro_jaz on X, expressed that the absence of women in the Artemis III crew is a “huge blow,” particularly for those inspired by astronaut Christina Koch during her time on Artemis II.She shared her insights on X.
Singh emphasized, “Those who aren’t offended by the lack of women in Artemis III don’t grasp the significance of seeing someone who resembles you achieve something extraordinary, especially after centuries of oppression.”
“The astronauts chosen for Artemis III are highly skilled and deserve recognition, as will future crews at their time,” Isaacman stated.
For the Artemis III mission, Randy Bresnik will serve as mission commander, Luca Parmitano will be the pilot, and Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio will act as mission specialists. Also, NASA astronaut Bob Hines is training as a backup crew member.
Source: www.nbcnews.com