Artemis II Commander & Pilot Depart NASA Astronaut Corps

The commander and pilot of NASA's recent Artemis II mission, Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, are transitioning from active astronaut duties, the space agency announced Wednesday. While they will no longer fly space missions, both astronauts will continue to contribute to the Artemis program as emeritus astronauts, a new designation designed to leverage their extensive experience. Glover has accepted a leadership role at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University, while Wiseman's future plans remain undisclosed.

The Artemis II crew, which also included Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen (who retired from the Canadian Space Agency in July) and Christina Koch, completed a lunar flyby in April 2026, setting a new distance record for human spaceflight. The decision by Wiseman and Glover to step back leaves Koch as the sole active astronaut from the original Artemis II crew. As emeritus astronauts, Wiseman and Glover are expected to dedicate their time to training and mentoring NASA personnel and sharing their insights to bolster future lunar endeavors.

Leveraging Expertise for Future Missions

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the departing astronauts, stating in a release, "Together, they took on one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight and helped return America to the lunar environment. I’m grateful they will continue sharing what they learned." This initiative marks a novel approach by NASA to retain and utilize the specialized knowledge gained from critical missions.

Victor Glover, a retired Navy captain, will assume his role at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, effective September 1. His position will involve shaping long-term strategies and inspiring students in science and engineering fields. Glover, who also retired from the Navy the same day, emphasized that this transition is not an end but an expansion of his engagement. "This is not a leaving... for me, this is opening the aperture, not closing it down," Glover stated in an interview. He expressed a desire to discuss the intersection of faith and science in his life and to support NASA's broader goals from a different platform.

Glover explained his decision to step away from potential moon-landing command missions was driven by a desire to focus on youth engagement and to spend more time with his family. His wife and four daughters, three of whom are enrolled at Cal Poly, will benefit from his increased presence. Glover's prior experience includes a nearly six-month mission to the International Space Station from 2020 to 2021 as pilot on a SpaceX crewed flight.

Reid Wiseman, also a former Navy captain and chief astronaut, joined NASA's astronaut corps in 2009. He previously served over five months aboard the ISS in 2014. Wiseman's status change is effective this month. During the Artemis II mission, Wiseman, alongside his crewmates, gained attention for requesting permission to name a lunar crater in honor of his late wife, Carroll, who passed away in 2020 after battling cancer.

The Artemis II crew was recognized for their contributions in August, receiving the Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump during a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission's success, despite the astronauts' subsequent departures from active duty, underscores the progress being made in NASA's broader Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.