NASA Names 4-Man Artemis III Crew as Backlash Grows Over Women’s Exclusion
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jun 23
NASA Names 4-Man Artemis III Crew as Backlash Grows Over Women’s Exclusion
3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jun 23
Summary
Four men were named to NASA’s Artemis III crew, prompting criticism from former officials, industry figures and space fans who expected the program to advance its long-stated goal of sending the first woman to the moon.
15 of NASA’s 37 active astronauts are women—about 41%—fueling arguments that the all-male lineup reflects bias, especially after NASA removed language from its website about landing the first woman on the moon.
Jared Isaacman said the selection was not political and was based on mission needs, adding that some women astronauts were training for other assignments and that Artemis III will only test lunar landers in Earth orbit.
The dispute has widened because Artemis missions carry outsized symbolic weight: Christina Koch became the first woman to fly around the moon on Artemis II in April, while NASA’s crew-selection process remains largely opaque.
Has NASA abandoned its promise to land the first woman on the Moon with its all-male Artemis III crew selection?
In the 'art and science' of crew selection, why did merit lead to an all-male crew for Artemis III?
Artemis III Controversy: NASA’s All-Male Crew Selection and Lunar Landing Postponement Spark Public Outcry
Overview
On June 9, 2026, NASA announced that Artemis III would shift from a planned lunar landing to an Earth-orbit test and revealed an all-male crew, sparking immediate public and industry backlash. Critics highlighted the exclusion of women, especially given NASA’s previous commitments to diversity and the symbolic goals of the Artemis program. The mission change was driven by delays in developing lunar landers and technical challenges, which pushed the lunar landing to Artemis IV in 2028 or later. This decision intensified scrutiny of NASA’s crew selection process and raised concerns about the agency’s ability to balance mission readiness with its diversity promises.