Salvadoran-born astronaut Frank Rubio joined fellow members of NASA’s Artemis III crew during a visit to the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the team to the Oval Office ahead of its planned 2027 space mission.
The White House shared photographs of the meeting on October 28, accompanied by a message welcoming the astronauts. Rubio’s participation brought attention to El Salvador’s connection to the United States’ renewed efforts in space exploration.
Rubio was selected as an Artemis III mission specialist in June 2026, joining NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik and Andre Douglas, as well as European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. The crew is preparing for a mission scheduled for 2027 that will test spacecraft rendezvous and docking systems in low Earth orbit, supporting preparations for future lunar missions.
Born in the United States to Salvadoran parents, Rubio has previously made history through his extended stay aboard the International Space Station, where he spent more than a year in orbit.
His presence at the White House event highlights the international and personal connections behind NASA’s Artemis program, while offering a moment of recognition for the Salvadoran community as one of its own takes part in a major chapter of human space exploration.