Here's what to know about Artemis III, and how to watch live NASA coverage of the astronauts selected for the mission being revealed.We're about to find out who will be venturing into space on the next mission under NASA's Artemis moon program.NASA plans to announce the four astronauts selected for a mission known as Artemis III, which could launch as early as 2027. The mission will be a follow-up to the landmark Artemis II mission, which in April captivated the world as it sent four astronauts on an audacious journey to circle the moon.But this time around, astronauts on the next Artemis mission won't be journeying anywhere near the moon. In fact, they won't even leave Earth's orbit.NASA, though, still views the mission as one of the most complex it will ever attempt. That's because the endeavor involves multiple rocket launches and multiple spacecraft that will have to find a way to link up in space.If all goes well, the mission targeted for 2027 would set the stage for a historic moon landing in 2028 – the first since NASA's iconic Apollo era ended half-a-century ago.Here's what to know about Artemis III, and how to watch live NASA coverage of the astronauts selected for the mission.When will astronauts land on the moon? What to know about ArtemisUnder NASA's Artemis campaign, the space agency is planning to put astronauts on the surface of the moon for the first time since the Apollo era ended in 1972.Not only is Earth's celestial neighbor a pristine time capsule ripe for study – preserved almost unaltered throughout the course of billions of years – but the moon is viewed as a stepping stone for human exploration deeper into space. One of the prime objectives of the Artemis program is to determine how humans can survive and thrive on the lunar surface before they head to Mars.NASA to announce Artemis III crewNASA plans to announce the astronauts selected for Artemis III, the next mission under its moon campaign. The space agency will also provide an update on its Artemis lunar program, NASA said in a May 26 press release.When, how to watch NASA coverage todayNASA will provide live coverage of the announcement beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, June 9.The livestream will be available on the agency's free NASA+ streaming service, as well as its YouTube channel.Livestream: Watch Artemis III astronauts revealedWhat is the Artemis III mission?Targeted for 2027, the Artemis III mission aims to send the crew of astronauts on a mission to Earth orbit with a launch using NASA's towering Space Launch System rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The primary objective during Artemis III is for astronauts aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft to meet and dock in orbit with one or both commercial lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.Once in low-Earth orbit, which is a path around our planet relatively close to Earth's atmosphere, the Orion capsule will rendezvous with at least one of the lunar landers: SpaceX’s Starship human landing system, and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2. Those spacecraft, both of which are still in development, will reach orbit via separate rocket launches – SpaceX using its Starship, and Blue Origin using its New Glenn.NASA has not yet decided whether any of the astronauts on the Artemis III crew would enter either lander after docking operations are successfully demonstrated, the agency said in a May 13 press release.When did Artemis II launch?The mission would be a follow-up to Artemis II, which in April sent four humans on a record-setting mission around the moon without landing. Those astronauts – NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen – became the first people to venture near the moon in more than 50 years while traveling farther from Earth than any before them.Both Artemis II and Artemis III are envisioned to serve as valuable test flights before the first of many crewed moon landings is attempted as early as 2028.While Artemis III will primarily test docking capabilities with lunar landers – responsible for ferrying astronauts in lunar orbit to and from the moon's surface – Artemis II was the first major test of both the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft with humans aboard.All those pieces of hardware will each be critical as NASA aims to use a series of human moon missions in the years ahead to construct a $20 billion lunar base where astronauts can live and work longterm.Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com(This story was updated to add a video.)