One Giant Leap for a USU Graduate: Army Physician and USU Alumnus Frank Rubio Named to Historic Artemis III Crew

USU Class of 2010 graduate Frank Rubio, an Army physician and spaceflight record holder, joins NASA’s Artemis III crew for 2027.

NASA Astronaut Frank Rubio gets help putting on a spacesuit at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to train for spacewalks. (Photo credit: NASA/James Blair)

June 10, 2026 by Sharon Holland 

NASA has named Army Colonel (Dr.) Frank Rubio to the four-person crew for Artemis III, marking a significant achievement for the Uniformed Services University (USU) Class of 2010 graduate.

Scheduled for launch in 2027, Artemis III will undertake a series of complex tests in Earth orbit as part of NASA’s next phase of deep-space exploration. The mission will involve a highly coordinated multi-launch campaign, including rendezvous and docking with one or more commercial lunar lander test vehicles developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. These operations will help validate critical systems and technologies needed for future missions to the Moon and beyond.

Rubio will serve as a mission specialist alongside an accomplished international crew: Commander Randy Bresnik (NASA), Pilot Luca Parmitano (European Space Agency), and Mission Specialist Andre Douglas (NASA). NASA astronaut Bob Hines has been designated as the backup crew member.

The mission will begin with the launch of NASA’s Orion spacecraft aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Kennedy Space Center. Once in orbit, the crew will conduct system checkouts before rendezvousing with commercial lander test vehicles launched separately. The mission will include docking operations to test integrated systems such as propulsion, communications, and life support. In total, the crew is expected to spend approximately two weeks in space before returning to Earth with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

“Artemis III will demonstrate the power of American innovation and international partnership,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “This mission will require the most awe-inspiring coordination of heavy-lift rocket launches in history.”

NASA Portrait of astronaut Lt. Col. Frank Rubio (Photo courtesy of NASA)

For USU, the selection of a graduate for such a high-visibility mission reflects the University’s role in preparing leaders for complex, high-stakes environments. Long before his selection to the Artemis III crew, Rubio built a career defined by service, operational excellence, and a commitment to advancing human performance in challenging conditions.

A graduate of USU’s F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Rubio previously served as a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, logging more than 1,100 flight hours, including combat operations in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. 

Transitioning from the cockpit to medicine, Rubio chose USU to become an Army physician. His unique background as both an aviator and a doctor perfectly positioned him for the rigors of aerospace medicine. After earning his medical degree, he served as a brigade surgeon and a family physician, keeping soldiers healthy in demanding environments—experience that translates seamlessly to managing the physiological challenges of space flight.

Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2017, Rubio is no stranger to the history books. In September 2022, he launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) for Expedition 68. During that initial mission, his medical and scientific roots came full circle; among his many duties, he actively participated in biological research experiments, including bioprinting studies designed to fabricate human tissue in microgravity.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio is pictured inside the cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world," as the orbiting lab flew 263 miles above southeastern England. (Photo credit: NASA/Frank Rubio)

Rubio’s first journey to space ultimately turned into a masterclass in adaptability. Due to an unexpected equipment issue with his return spacecraft, his planned six-month stay was extended. He eventually returned to Earth after a staggering 371 consecutive days in orbit, setting a new American record for the longest single spaceflight. This grueling endurance test provided NASA with invaluable data on how the human body reacts to prolonged weightlessness—critical information that will protect astronauts on future multi-year voyages to Mars.

The Artemis III crew will begin training immediately on Orion systems and mission operations, supporting ongoing development and testing of the technologies that will enable future exploration missions. 

While Rubio has humbly noted in past university interviews that space exploration requires a massive collaborative team, his selection to the Artemis III crew highlights the distinct value of operational resilience and peak military readiness at the highest levels of federal service.

"Colonel Rubio’s selection to the Artemis III crew is a powerful testament to the unique value of military medical training," said USU President Dr. Jonathan Woodson. "At USU, we prepare our graduates to lead and deliver critical care in the most austere, high-stakes environments on Earth. Dr. Rubio is once again taking that foundation of service and operational expertise into the ultimate frontier, embodying the very best of our university’s mission to support the nation—and humanity—wherever the mission demands."