NASA is scheduled to announce the crew selection for its Artemis III mission on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the agency's plans to return humans to the lunar surface.

The Artemis III mission represents NASA's ambitious goal to land the first astronauts on the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The announcement will reveal which astronauts have been selected to potentially become the next humans to walk on the lunar surface.

Along with the crew announcement, NASA is expected to provide an update on the overall Artemis program timeline and progress. The mission has faced various technical and scheduling challenges as the agency works to develop the necessary spacecraft, landing systems, and support infrastructure.

The current target timeline aims for a 2027 launch date, though questions remain about whether the mission will be ready to proceed as scheduled. The Artemis program involves complex coordination between multiple spacecraft systems, including the Space Launch System rocket, Orion crew capsule, and SpaceX's Starship lunar lander.

The Artemis III mission is designed to land astronauts near the Moon's south pole, where scientists believe water ice deposits could support future lunar exploration and serve as a stepping stone for eventual missions to Mars.