Who Might Fly On Artemis 3? NASA To Name Crew On June 9 — Top Contenders

NASA will announce the crew for Artemis 3 on June 9. The mission — currently targeted for mid– to late 2027 — will use Orion in low Earth orbit (LEO) to rehearse rendezvous and docking with commercial lunar landers and to test next‑generation EVA suits rather than travel to the lunar surface. Availability, recent flight schedules, EVA experience and hands‑on work with Orion and Human Landing System (HLS) hardware are expected to be decisive selection factors.

What Artemis 3 Will Do

Unlike the earlier plan to land on the Moon, Artemis 3 is currently configured as an operational rehearsal in LEO. Crewmembers will practice piloting Orion, perform rendezvous and docking rehearsals with one or two privately developed HLS vehicles (SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon are HLS contenders), and may test components of new extravehicular activity suits that will be used on future surface missions.

How NASA Is Likely To Choose

Key selection criteria include:

• Schedule availability — astronauts on or assigned soon to ISS rotations are unlikely to free up the months of prelaunch training.
• Operational experience with Orion, rendezvous/docking procedures, or direct involvement in HLS testing and integration.
• EVA experience — at least one or two crew members with spacewalk experience are expected to be preferred.
• Flight recency — NASA rarely assigns back‑to‑back missions, making the recently flown Artemis 2 crew unlikely for Artemis 3.

Top U.S. Contenders

Raja Chari — Since commanding Crew‑3, Chari has led astronaut development and HLS testing at Johnson Space Center. He has two EVAs, test‑pilot experience, and hands‑on Orion/HLS integration work, making him a leading candidate.

Nicole Mann — A Marine test pilot and former Crew‑5 commander, Mann logged two EVAs and has supported Orion, SLS and exploration ground systems work. Her blend of operational experience and leadership ranks her near the top.

Kayla Barron — Barron has two EVAs, Crew‑3 experience, and has supported suit and rover operational concepts for Artemis. Her profile fits both docking/rehearsal work and later surface missions.

Andre Douglas — A member of NASA’s 2021 class, Douglas trained as an Artemis 2 backup and has deep Orion procedure familiarity. Backup‑to‑prime crew transitions are a well‑established NASA pattern, making him a plausible pick.

Other Strong Candidates

Jasmin Moghbeli — Test‑pilot experience, aerospace engineering background, and recent HLS support make her a strong mid‑tier contender.

Frank Rubio, Zena Cardman, Matthew Dominick — Each brings relevant piloting, leadership, or operational experience that could suit Artemis 3’s rehearsal objectives.

Stephanie Wilson — A veteran with three earlier launches (space shuttle) who trained for a recent Crew Dragon assignment, Wilson remains a wildcard candidate because of her experience and prior training.

Who’s Likely Not

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — the Artemis 2 crew — are unlikely for Artemis 3 because NASA rarely assigns immediate back‑to‑back flights. Several original Artemis cadre members currently on or bound for the ISS (for example, Jessica Meir, Jessica Watkins, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams, and Luke Delaney) are also probably unavailable due to schedule conflicts.

International Participation

International seats remain possible but uncertain after the cancellation of the cislunar Gateway concept, which previously tied partner contributions to flight assignments. The European Space Agency (ESA) is a logical partner because it builds Orion’s service module; potential ESA names include Samantha Cristoforetti, Matthias Maurer and Alexander Gerst. Canada’s Jenni Gibbons, who backed up Jeremy Hansen for Artemis 2, is another possible international candidate.

Projected Tiers (If All Seats Go To NASA)

• Top Tier: Raja Chari, Nicole Mann, Kayla Barron, Andre Douglas
• Middle Tier: Jasmin Moghbeli, Frank Rubio, Zena Cardman, Stephanie Wilson, Matthew Dominick
• Lower Tier: Anne McClain, Jonny Kim, Woody Hoburg, Nichole Ayers, Loral O’Hara

With the formal announcement set for June 9, NASA will soon confirm who will perform Orion piloting, docking rehearsals and suit‑testing on Artemis 3. Until then, schedule availability, EVA experience and prior Orion/HLS work are the clearest indicators of likely selections.