Donald Trump met NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Artemis III crew members Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio and Luca Parmitano in the Oval Office on October 28, 2026, according to the White House record. NASA plans Artemis III as a 14-day low Earth orbit demonstration in 2027, with tests of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 and SpaceX’s Starship V3 in sequence, according to NASA.
The crew members who met Trump
NASA names Randy Bresnik as Artemis III commander, Luca Parmitano as pilot, and Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio as mission specialists. Jared Isaacman attended as NASA administrator.
NASA plans two orbital tests in sequence
NASA’s plan calls for four astronauts to fly aboard Orion on a 14-day mission in low Earth orbit. Orion is to dock first with Blue Moon Mark 2, then later with Starship V3. The distinct crew roles and durations are central to what each test is designed to evaluate.
| Test phase | Test article and sequence | Crew role | Planned scope and duration |
| First | Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2; Orion is to rendezvous and dock with it first. | The crew is planned to enter the test article and evaluate its cabin, controls and life-support systems. | About two days of crew evaluation. |
| Later | SpaceX’s Starship V3; Orion is to dock with it after the Blue Moon operations. | The crew will remain aboard Orion and will not enter the Starship test article. | Up to two hours for the docking demonstration, including checks of docking, communications, control, software and vehicle dynamics. |
NASA frames the tests as risk reduction and operational preparation for future crewed lunar landings, which it says are planned for 2028. Readers can find more background in NeoTeo’s earlier coverage of NASA’s Artemis III orbital rehearsal.
