ESA Puts Luca Parmitano on Artemis 3 as Gateway Cancellation Forces New Moon Role Talks
Updated
Updated · SpaceNews · Jun 12
ESA Puts Luca Parmitano on Artemis 3 as Gateway Cancellation Forces New Moon Role Talks
3 articles · Updated · SpaceNews · Jun 12
Summary
Luca Parmitano’s Artemis 3 assignment was secured only in recent weeks and forms the first step in ESA’s negotiations with NASA over a revised lunar role, ESA chief Josef Aschbacher said.
NASA’s decision in March to shelve the Gateway program upended ESA’s earlier plan for 3 astronaut seats tied to its Gateway contributions, forcing both sides to rethink Europe’s place in Artemis.
ESA is now pressing for future lunar-surface flights and is offering potential contributions including the 1.5-ton Argonaut cargo lander, Moonlight lunar communications services, rovers, robotic systems and cargo return capabilities.
The talks could also expand ESA’s Orion work beyond the 6 service modules already agreed through Artemis 5, with Aschbacher saying NASA has asked about additional modules 7 and 8.
ESA expects key decisions through an ESA Council meeting next week, a Paris summit in September and a December interministerial conference, with Aschbacher seeking clarity before year-end.
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Overview
NASA has announced the four-person crew for Artemis III, marking the start of a new phase in lunar exploration as the Artemis II team symbolically passed the baton. Among the crew is Andre Douglas, a systems engineering expert making his first spaceflight, who was previously selected by NASA and served as backup for Artemis II. The mission profile has evolved significantly, shifting from a planned lunar landing to a critical low Earth orbit test mission. This change aims to thoroughly test new technologies and prepare for future lunar landings, reflecting NASA’s adaptive approach amid technical and programmatic challenges.