CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — The two NASA astronauts who led the launch of Artemis II to the moon this year are stepping away from spaceflight. NASA announced Wednesday that Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover will no longer serve as active astronauts, but will continue to support the lunar exploration program as astronauts emeritus. Glover has accepted a leadership position at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University, while Wiseman’s future plans were not revealed. They flew around the moon in April with two other astronauts, setting a distance record for humanity. Artemis II’s Jeremy Hansen retired from the Canadian Space Agency in July. That leaves Christina Koch as the only crew member still on the list of active astronauts. As emeritus astronauts, Wiseman and Glover will donate their time to train and mentor NASA workers and share their knowledge for future lunar missions. It’s a new approach to harnessing experience, according to the space agency. “Together, they took on one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight and helped return the United States to the lunar environment,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “I’m grateful that they continue to share what they’ve learned.” Cal Poly said Glover will help shape long-term strategies and inspire students to study science and engineering. His new job in San Luis Obispo took effect Sept. 1, the same day he retired from the Navy. In an interview with The Associated Press, Glover emphasized that “this is not a way out… to me, this is opening an opening, not closing it.” “I want to continue talking about how faith and science work together in my life,” Glover said. “That’s not NASA’s mission, but I can still help NASA from the sidelines.” Rather than wait to command a moon landing mission, Glover said he decided to leave spaceflight behind to focus his efforts on young people and spend more time with his wife and four daughters. Three of his daughters are enrolled at Cal Poly. The oldest already graduated there. Wiseman’s change in status will take effect this month. Chosen by NASA as an astronaut in 2009, the retired Navy captain spent more than five months aboard the International Space Station in 2014, later becoming the space agency’s chief astronaut. After graduating from Cal Poly in 1999, Glover became a Navy test pilot before NASA chose him as an astronaut in 2013. He served as a pilot on SpaceX’s second crewed flight for NASA, a nearly six-month mission to the space station in 2020 and 2021. Glover’s eloquence stood out as he flew to and from the moon. Earth is an oasis in “a lot of nothingness, this thing we call the universe” where humanity exists as one, he observed from space. “This is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same and that we have to get through this together.” Wiseman also struck a chord when he and his crew asked permission to name one of the moon’s craters after his late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020. 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.
