NASA has named its crew for its next major Moon mission, Artemis III, though the astronauts will not walk on the Moon or go anywhere near it.
The mission was originally planned as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, with two astronauts due to set down near the Moon's south pole and spend a week on the surface.
But in February, Nasa changed that plan and said the mission would fly only in low Earth orbit, barely deeper in space than the International Space Station, and dock with prototype lunar landers.
Nasa's Administrator Jared Isaacman said the mission would nevertheless be the most complex ever.
"This mission will require the most awe-inspiring coordination of heavy-lift rocket launches in history, drawing on the talent and capability of teams across government and the spaceflight community," he said.
Randy Bresnik, a Nasa astronaut, will serve as the mission's commander.
Luca Parmitano, of the European Space Agency, will be the pilot of Artemis III. He's spent more than 300 days in space.
Americans Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio will be the mission specialists.
Bob Heintz will serve as a backup crew member. He is a test pilot who logged 170 days in space and can step into any role needed on the mission.
