Artemis II Commander Trades Deep Space for JPL Deputy Director Role

Four astronauts flew further from Earth than anyone in history, and now every single one of them has hung up their spacesuits. Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman is the last of the crew to reveal his next chapter, stepping down from active astronaut duty to become the associate vice president and deputy director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

His new role begins on November 30, following his transition to astronaut emeritus alongside pilot Victor Glover in September. Glover became an executive advisor at California Polytechnic State University, while mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen also transitioned away from active flight careers to new roles in engineering and military service.

The quartet completed their historic ten-day flight around the far side of the moon aboard the Orion capsule in April, serving as a vital stepping stone for NASA's Artemis program. That mission captivated millions and paved the way for future lunar landings currently targeted for the coming years.

Wiseman brings extensive operational experience to his new position, having previously served as a U.S.

Navy test pilot, International Space Station crew member, and NASA's chief astronaut from December 2020 to November 2022.

Our read is that the simultaneous exit of an entire high-profile crew signals a deliberate turning point for NASA's human spaceflight ranks.

Instead of recycling veteran commanders into subsequent lunar flights, the agency is funneling elite operational talent directly into top-tier institutional leadership and engineering management.

At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Wiseman will help oversee robotic exploration and deep space communications, translating deep-space flight experience into ground-side strategy for future planetary missions.