NASA has officially selected Salvadoran-American astronaut Frank Rubio to join the elite four-member crew for the historic Artemis III mission. Slated for a 2028 landing at the lunar South Pole, this pivotal expedition marks humanity’s return to the Moon’s surface and a crucial step toward establishing a sustained space presence. Rubio will serve as a mission specialist alongside American astronaut Randy Bresnik, Italian pilot Luca Parmitano, and Dr. Andre Douglas, with initial earth-orbit testing scheduled to begin in 2027.
This milestone marks Rubio’s second journey into the cosmos, following his legendary 371-day stay aboard the International Space Station that concluded in September 2023. As the holder of the longest single spaceflight record by a U.S. astronaut, Rubio logged over 253 million kilometers and completed three spacewalks. His transition from low-Earth orbit to lunar exploration fulfills a long-held ambition; back in 2022, he openly shared his drive to participate in these upcoming missions, eager to open a new stage of human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.
Selected in NASA’s 2017 candidate class, Rubio brings a stellar background to the crew, bridging 28 years of military service as a U.S. Army aviator, a doctorate in medicine, and his seasoned expertise as an astronaut. Beyond his technical prowess, Rubio maintains a deeply rooted, inspirational connection with El Salvador. Just last year, he traveled to the country to mentor youth and students, passionately encouraging the next generation to pursue dreams in science, engineering, and aerospace technology.