NASA announced that Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover are transitioning to emeritus astronaut status following their landmark lunar flyby earlier this year. Glover has already taken a leadership role at California Polytechnic State University, while Wiseman’s future plans remain unannounced.
The two NASA astronauts who led the Artemis II moonshot earlier this year are officially stepping away from active spaceflight. NASA announced the transition, shifting commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover into emeritus roles at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The status change follows a high-profile 10-day mission in April that carried them around the Moon aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft alongside crewmates Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. That journey set a new distance record for humanity as the first human voyage to lunar orbit in more than 50 years.
Leadership Shifts and New Campus Roles for Glover
Glover wasted no time pivoting to his next chapter. On September 1, the same day he retired from the Navy, his new job as a leader at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University, took effect. In San Luis Obispo, he will help shape long-term strategies and inspire students to pursue science and engineering.
For Glover, the decision to leave active flight status came down to family and a desire to mentor the next generation. Three of his four daughters are currently enrolled at Cal Poly, while his eldest has already graduated from the institution.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Glover emphasized that his departure from the active astronaut corps should not be viewed as a closure. Instead, he described it as opening the aperture, not closing it down
so he can continue discussing how faith and science intersect in his life while supporting NASA from the sidelines.
Emeritus Program Structure and Future Artemis Support
The emeritus astronaut designation represents a novel agency approach. By moving seasoned veterans into consulting and mentoring positions, NASA retains high-level technical expertise while allowing individuals the flexibility to pursue external careers. Wiseman and Glover will donate their time to train and mentor the current workforce, sharing insights gleaned from their lunar mission.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the contributions of the departing crew members.
“Together, they took on one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight and helped return America to the lunar environment.”
Jared Isaacman, Administrator, NASA
This knowledge transfer is critical as the agency prepares for Artemis III in 2027—which aims to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial human landing systems in low Earth orbit—and the subsequent Artemis IV mission in 2028, which intends to return American astronauts to the lunar surface.
Shifting Roster Leaves Christina Koch on Active Rolls
The departures leave the active Artemis II roster significantly altered. Jeremy Hansen retired from the Canadian Space Agency in July, and Wiseman’s official status change takes effect this month, leaving Christina Koch as the sole crew member remaining on active astronaut rolls.
Wiseman’s extensive career includes selection as an astronaut in 2009, a five-month stint aboard the International Space Station in 2014, and subsequent service as NASA’s chief astronaut. While his future plans remain undisclosed outside of his upcoming emeritus duties, his legacy is already etched into the lunar record.
Reflecting on his time with the agency, Wiseman noted that NASA supported him through two space missions and his tenure as chief astronaut.
