Μake us preferred on Google The two NASA astronauts who commanded and piloted the Artemis II mission earlier this year are stepping back from active spaceflight duty. NASA announced Wednesday, 9th of September, that mission commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover will transition out of active astronaut status, taking on emeritus roles that allow them to continue supporting the lunar exploration program.
Glover has accepted a leadership position at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University, while Wiseman’s next steps have not been made public. In April, the pair flew around the moon alongside two fellow astronauts, achieving humanity’s farthest distance traveled from Earth.
With Jeremy Hansen having retired from the Canadian Space Agency in July, Christina Koch now stands as the only remaining Artemis II crew member still classified as an active astronaut.
In their new emeritus capacity, Wiseman and Glover will volunteer their time training and mentoring NASA personnel, passing along insights that could shape future moon missions. NASA describes the arrangement as a fresh strategy for continuing to draw on the astronauts’ expertise even after they’ve stepped back from flight status.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the pair’s contributions, noting they took on one of spaceflight’s most demanding missions and played a key role in returning American astronauts to lunar exploration, adding that he’s thankful they’ll continue sharing what they’ve learned.
At Cal Poly, officials said Glover will contribute to shaping the university’s long-term strategic direction and work to inspire students pursuing science and engineering fields. His new role in San Luis Obispo began September 1, the same day he officially retired from the Navy.
Speaking with the Associated Press, Glover emphasized that this transition isn’t an ending but rather an expansion of his focus. He said he intends to keep discussing how faith and science intersect in his personal life, acknowledging that while this isn’t part of NASA’s official mission, he can still contribute to the agency’s work from a different vantage point.
Rather than waiting for a potential future assignment commanding a lunar landing mission, Glover explained that he chose to step away from spaceflight to dedicate more time to mentoring young people and to his family, including his wife and four daughters. Three of his daughters currently attend Cal Poly, and his oldest daughter has already graduated from the university.
Wiseman’s transition to emeritus status takes effect this month. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009, the retired Navy captain spent more than five months aboard the International Space Station in 2014 before later serving as the agency’s chief astronaut.
Glover, who graduated from Cal Poly in 1999, worked as a Navy test pilot before being selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013. He served as pilot on SpaceX’s second crewed mission for NASA, a nearly six-month stay aboard the space station spanning 2020 and 2021.
During the Artemis II mission, Glover’s reflections from space drew particular attention. He described Earth as an oasis surrounded by the vast emptiness of the universe, framing the moment as a reminder of humanity’s shared existence and the need to work together through challenges.
Wiseman also offered an emotional moment during the mission, when he and his crewmates requested permission to name a lunar crater in honor of his late wife, Carroll, who passed away from cancer in 2020.
Last month, the Artemis II crew was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump during a ceremony held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Source: AP
