Two NASA astronauts who in April flew on the historic Artemis II mission around the moon are hanging up their spacesuits.
Reid Wiseman, the mission's commander; and Victor Glover, the mission's pilot, are both transitioning to other roles both within and outside NASA, the agency announced.
But it appears that for both of them, their spacefaring days are behind them.
The news comes about five months after Wiseman and Glover were part of a four-person crew that rode a NASA spacecraft on a 10-day journey toward the moon. The mission marked a landmark moment in U.S. spaceflight, becoming not just the first crewed moon mission in half-a-century, but taking the astronauts farther from Earth than anyone had ever been.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing
Reid and Victor for years, and both exemplify the leadership, character, and commitment that define NASA at its best.” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “Together, they took on one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight and helped return America to the lunar environment."
Here's what to know about Wiseman and Glover, as well as what could be next for the two astronauts.
2 NASA astronauts step down after Artemis II
Glover and Wiseman will both transition to emeritus status at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the space agency announced in a Sept. 9 press release.
Instead of being an official retirement, the role means Glover and Wiseman will serve in more of a consultant capacity for NASA by "donating their time to train and mentor the current workforce," the agency said. The move simultaneously allows each of them "to pursue other opportunities," NASA added.
I’ve known Reid and Victor for years, and I’m grateful for everything they have given to NASA, including helping return America to the lunar environment on Artemis II.
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) September 9, 2026
I’m especially glad that service is continuing.
Through the emeritus program, they’ll keep mentoring…
In a statement, Isaacman indicated that Glover and Wiseman's knowledge and expertise will help as NASA prepares for future Artemis missions, including another vital test flight in 2027 and a potential crewed landing in 2028.
"I’m grateful they will continue sharing what they learned with our astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers as we prepare for Artemis III in 2027 and the missions that follow,” Isaacman said.
Who is Victor Glover?
A Navy aviator and test pilot, Victor Glover, 50, served as the pilot for the Artemis II mission.
Glover, selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013, was also the pilot for the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station. Launching in November 2020, the six-month mission was the first to the orbital outpost after the Dragon crew capsule was certified for spaceflight under a partnership between NASA and SpaceX.
Glover, a native of Pomona, California, holds several master's degrees and is married with four daughters.
Who is Reid Wiseman?
Reid Wiseman served as the commander of the Artemis II mission.
A decorated veteran Navy aviator, 50-year-old Reid Wiseman served on two deployments to the Middle East and trained as a test pilot before he was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009.
Wiseman has been to space one other time. In 2014, Wiseman spent about six months at the International Space Station, where he completed two spacewalks and helped the crew set a station record by completing 82 hours of research in a single week.
Wiseman, a Baltimore native, is a single father of two children, having lost his wife Carroll Taylor Wiseman in 2020 to cancer.
What was the Artemis II mission?
In April, Wiseman and Glover joined NASA astronaut Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen on the Artemis II mission.
The second mission under NASA's multibillion-dollar Artemis program, Artemis II marked the first time humans flew near the moon in more than 50 years and set the stage for a potential crewed landing as early as 2028.
The four astronauts rode in NASA's Orion spacecraft, which hitched a ride to space atop NASA's powerful 322-foot Space Launch System rocket during an April 1 launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the 10-day spaceflight, the Orion vehicle carried the astronauts around the moon and back to Earth without landing on the lunar surface.
Along the way, Wiseman, Glover, Koch and Hansen surpassed a record set during the infamous Apollo 13 mission in 1970 – traveling a historic 252,756 miles from Earth. They also bore witness to sights of the moon's far side never before seen by human eyes while traveling as close as 4,067 miles above the surface during a lunar flyby.
Three of the astronauts also made individual history. Hansen became the first Canadian selected for a moon mission, while Koch became the first woman and Glover the first Black man.
Jeremy Hansen also ended astronaut career
Glover and Wiseman are now the latest astronauts who flew on the Artemis II mission to take a step down.
In a July 6, poston Facebook, Hansen said that he would step back from a full-time astronaut role in September. Hansen said he will also transition to being a reservist member of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
But the move, Hansen said, is “far from a departure.” Instead, he said the move is meant “to leave the door open for creative, ongoing ways to support and enable the vital work happening in Canada with respect to space.”
What's next for Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman?
Glover has already announced on social media that he has accepted a full-time administrative leadership position at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
“As I grow into this new role, NASA and spaceflight remain a meaningful part of my journey of service,” Glover said in a statement. “I’m excited to keep uplifting my friends and cheering them on as they reach for the moon."
Dionna and I are excited to come back to San Luis Obispo, where we met 30 years go this month, and join the Mustang community. #CalPolyProud
— Victor Glover (@AstroVicGlover) September 9, 2026
The most meaningful moments of my NASA career were supporting astronauts and their families through missions, and mentoring interns and…
While Wiseman has not said anything publicly about what specifically could be next for him, he said in a statement that he is "thrilled to continue serving future missions."
“There is no better place to work, and there are no better people to work with, than those in this agency,” Wiseman said. “NASA gave me tremendous responsibility, supported me through two space missions, and my time as chief astronaut, and was always there for my family when we needed it most."
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Artemis II astronauts hang up spacesuits after historic moon trip
