When NASA’s Artemis III mission launches next year, the crew won’t include any women — a revelation that sparked controversy after the agency on Tuesday announced the four astronauts selected for the flight.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“Not a single woman flying on Artemis III is an insane choice,” Alexandra Doten, a space influencer who goes by Astro Alexandra, posted on X on Tuesday.NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attempted to address these criticisms head-on Wednesday.“I have seen reactions ranging from disappointment to outrage,” he said in a statement.Isaacman said that some astronauts may not have been selected for the Artemis III flight because they are already on tap for expeditions to the International Space Station or because their training and skill sets make them more suitable for future Artemis missions, during which astronauts are expected to land on the moon.“The Astronaut Office assigns the crew that gives the mission the best chance of meeting its objectives, taking into account many factors, including the background and expertise of the astronauts, such as test pilot experience, development work on specific programs, and availability,” he said.Add NBC News to GoogleTom Costello sits down with Jared Isaacman and the crew of Artemis III to discuss the next mission10:43The crew members unveiled Tuesday are NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.Their mission, slated to launch no earlier than summer 2027, aims to test two commercially built moon landers that could transport astronauts to the lunar surface on the Artemis IV mission in 2028.
The tests are set to take place in Earth orbit, where the Artemis III crew will spend about two weeks.SpaceX and Blue Origin are each building one of those landers, and the Artemis III mission is designed to demonstrate rendezvous and docking operatio...