Cantwell Congratulates Newly Announced Artemis III Crew

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, congratulated the astronauts selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to execute the upcoming Artemis III mission. The Mission will send the crew into Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial spacecraft needed to land astronauts on the Moon.

“Congratulations to Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas and Bob Hines on being selected for NASA’s Artemis III mission!” Sen. Cantwell said. “With the help of Washington state’s aerospace innovators, engineers and skilled workforce, this highly complex mission will prove out key technologies for docking the Orion spacecraft with our lunar landers in Earth orbit. This is an integral step for the United States to return to the moon and to establish a lasting presence there.”

Randy Bresnik will serve as Commander; Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency, Pilot; Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas, mission specialists. Bob Hines (not pictured), Backup Crew member.

Sen. Cantwell is a champion of American space exploration. Last month, she met the Artemis II crew and presented them with a Senate resolution celebrating their historic journey around the moon earlier this year. Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks at that ceremony are HERE and a transcript is HERE; photos are HERE.

On April 9, while they were still on their mission, Sen. Cantwell spoke live to the Artemis II crew about the future of human space exploration. NASA’s livestream of that exchange is available HERE; Video showing Sen. Cantwell as she spoke to the astronauts from her Seattle office is available HERE.

In March, Sen. Cantwell led bipartisan, unanimous passage through the Commerce Committee of the NASA Authorization Act of 2026, which confirms support for the Artemis missions.

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