The Artemis III crew takes a photo during the crew announcement on June 9, 2026. From left: Andre Douglas, Luca Parmitano, Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio. NASA/Robert MarkowitzOver the span of a few short months in 2026, NASA’s Artemis III mission lost its original purpose, but gained a crew and some controversy over its composition.
In February 2026, as its predecessor Artemis II was experiencing launch delays, NASA announced the addition of a mission between Artemis II and the first Artemis lunar landing, originally set for Artemis III. This change meant Artemis III would no longer land at the lunar south pole.
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