Overview
- At ESA’s ministerial meeting in Bremen, leaders confirmed that one of three European astronauts flying on upcoming Artemis missions will be Italian alongside French and German crew members.
- The astronaut’s identity remains undisclosed, with ASI noting a tri‑national shortlist that will be finalized in coordination with ESA and NASA.
- Reporting names Samantha Cristoforetti and Luca Parmitano as prominent Italian contenders, though no selection has been announced.
- Artemis II is targeted as a crewed Orion flight to lunar orbit in early 2026 to validate life‑support and spacecraft performance before surface missions.
- A crewed lunar landing is now projected no earlier than September 2028 due to schedule slips by program partners, including SpaceX.