Following their lunar flyby in April, Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover are transitioning to emeritus astronaut status at Johnson Space Center in Houston this September. The move concludes their active flight service as they pivot to training workers, mentoring the astronaut corps, and pursuing new leadership roles.
The two NASA astronauts who led the Artemis II moonshot earlier this year are stepping away from active spaceflight. NASA announced that Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover will no longer serve on active astronaut rolls but will continue supporting the moon exploration program as emeritus astronauts, a new approach designed to retain specialized expertise within the agency.
As emeritus astronauts, Wiseman and Glover will donate their time to train and mentor NASA workers and share their knowledge for future moon missions. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the pair’s contributions in a statement. Together, they took on one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight and helped return America to the lunar environment
, Isaacman said, adding that he is grateful they will continue sharing what they learned.
Career Transitions to Cal Poly and Beyond
While Wiseman’s future plans remain undisclosed and his status change takes effect this month, Glover has already taken a leadership job at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University. His new role in San Luis Obispo took effect September 1, the same day he retired from the Navy.
In an interview, Glover emphasized that his departure from active flight does not mean a retreat from the space program. This is not a leaving … for me, this is opening the aperture, not closing it down
, Glover told reporters. He noted a desire to discuss how faith and science work together, explaining that while that is not NASA’s specific mission, he can still help from the sidelines while focusing on young people and spending time with his family.
A Record-Setting Lunar Flyby and Congressional Honors
The status change follows a spring for the Artemis II crew. In April, Wiseman and Glover flew around the moon alongside crewmates Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, setting a new distance record for humanity. The crew test-drove NASA’s Orion capsule atop the Space Launch System rocket.
Just last month, the Artemis II crew received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump during a ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The flight marked the first time humans traveled to lunar orbit in more than 50 years.
Shifting Roster Dynamics for the Astronaut Corps
The transition of Wiseman and Glover, combined with Jeremy Hansen’s retirement from the Canadian Space Agency in July, alters active crew availability. Christina Koch remains the only crew member still on active astronaut rolls from the Artemis II roster.
Next Milestones in the Artemis Program
NASA is depending on the continued mentorship of its veteran flyers to prepare for upcoming operational hurdles. Support and knowledge transfer from Wiseman and Glover are considered critical as the agency prepares for the Artemis III mission in 2027, which will test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial human landing systems in low Earth orbit.
