The Italian astronaut said selection for NASA’s four-person test mission prioritized its objectives. No women are included in the crew.
Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano said women were left off the Artemis III crew because mission requirements were prioritized in the selection. NASA named four men for the test flight: Parmitano, Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman previously defended the decision, saying the Astronaut Office assigns the crew it believes gives a mission the best chance to meet its objectives. The announcement drew questions because no women were included.
Artemis III is planned for 2027. NASA says the flight will test systems and procedures needed for later stages of the Artemis program. Parmitano, a European Space Agency astronaut and former Italian Air Force test pilot, has flown twice to the International Space Station.