No ‘Space’ For Women: Why NASA’s Artemis III Crew Has Triggered Backlash

Last Updated:June 21, 2026, 16:01 IST

NASA emphasised that women remain in key training and leadership roles for future Artemis missions

NASA has triggered a wave of public backlash and disappointment following its announcement of an all-male prime and backup crew for the Artemis III test mission.

Critics and space industry insiders highlighted the irony of excluding women from a high-profile mission named after the Greek goddess of the Moon—especially given the program’s original promise to put the first woman on the lunar surface.

THE CORE CONTROVERSY

Critics pointed out that roughly 40% of NASA’s active astronaut corps is made up of women, many of whom are highly qualified.

Observers linked the decision to broader political shifts, noting that under the current Trump administration, NASA has downplayed previous Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates and removed explicit “first woman" language from parts of its website.

The decision contrasted with the record-setting Artemis II mission, which successfully flew NASA astronaut Christina Koch around the Moon.

The four men assigned to the mission are veteran NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik (Commander) and Frank Rubio, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano (Pilot), and rookie NASA specialist Andre Douglas. Astronaut Bob Hines was named as the backup crew member.

NASA’S OFFICIAL DEFENCE

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman issued a formal statement on social media to push back against the criticism, which ranged from disappointment to outrage. Isaacman stated that the crew was chosen strictly by the Astronaut Office based on specialized qualifications, flight experience, and mission requirements, without political interference.

According to NASA, several female astronauts were not selected because they are already training for long-duration International Space Station (ISS) assignments or future Artemis missions.

NASA emphasised that women remain in key training and leadership roles for future Artemis missions, including missions intended to return astronauts to the lunar surface.

INDUSTRY REACTION

Prominent space communicators and former officials expressed mixed views. Science author Emily Calandrelli noted that while the crew was not chosen “maliciously," implicit systemic bias may have prevented decision-makers from addressing the lack of diversity before the public announcement.

Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver also expressed disappointment, arguing that selecting an elite crew is often “as much art as science" and historically requires deliberate attention to representation.

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Manjiri Joshi

At the news desk for 20 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci...Read More

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