Reviewed by: Elizabeth Hobbs
New Artemis III crew includes astronaut with Alabama ties
Reading time: 3 minutes
The astronaut crew for the upcoming Artemis III space flight mission—planned for mid-2027—will include another member with Huntsville ties.
Frank Rubio, who served as a clinic supervisor, executive medicine provider and flight surgeon at Redstone Arsenal, is one of four distinguished crew members heading to the final frontier.
Artemis III: another mission with ties to Huntsville
(PHOTO CREDIT: NASA / BILL STAFFORD)
Artemis III will be crewed by four astronauts: Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio of NASA and Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency.
Artemis III will carry out a series of objectives in low Earth orbit designed to demonstrate critical systems needed for future lunar landings, beginning with Artemis IV.
During the mission, the Space Launch System rocket will launch four crew members aboard the Orion spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
“[The Artemis II crew members] achievements reignited global excitement for exploration, and now they pass the torch to the Artemis III team, Randy, Luca, Frank and Andre. Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership as we test complex rendezvous and docking operations and advance the technologies that will one day carry us deeper into the solar system.”
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator
About Frank Rubio
In addition to Rubio’s Redstone Arsenal ties, here’s a little more about him:
- Earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the United States Military Academy at West Point + a Doctorate of Medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland
- Completed his Family Medicine Residency at Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning, Georgia
- Rubio was a member of the “Black Knights,” the West Point Parachute Team
- While aboard the International Space Station in 2023, he set the record for the longest single duration spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut with a mission duration of 371 days
- Rubio conducted three spacewalks totaling 21 hours, 24 minutes and installed two new IROSA Solar Arrays for the ISS
- He most recently served as the Class Advisor for the NASA Astronaut Candidate Class of 2025
Once again, Huntsville is at the forefront of space travel, and we can’t wait to see what happens next. 🚀
