Key points
▶ NASA announced that Artemis II crew members Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover will transition to honorary positions at the Johnson Space Center in September.
▶ The honorary positions allow personnel with technical expertise and specialized knowledge to spend time training and advising current staff. The organization retains their expertise, while the individuals gain the flexibility to pursue other activities.
▶ The two astronauts completed the Artemis II mission on April 10 this year. It was the first crewed flight to orbit the Moon in more than 50 years and set a record for the farthest distance humans have traveled from Earth.
▶ Glover will pass on his knowledge of the Orion spacecraft’s systems, while Wiseman will share his flight experience with personnel preparing for Artemis III.
Two astronauts who traveled around the Moon are stepping away from active duty.
NASA said Artemis II crew members Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover will transition to honorary positions at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, beginning in September. The positions are intended for personnel with technical expertise and specialized knowledge to train and advise current staff. The agency can continue to draw on their talents in an advisory capacity, while the astronauts gain the opportunity to pursue other activities.
Ten days that surpassed the Apollo 13 record
The mission completed by the two astronauts ended on April 10 this year. The Orion spacecraft splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California, at 5:07 p.m. Pacific Time.
The mission produced several records. During the nearly 10-day flight, the four crew members traveled a total of 1.118 million kilometers. Their farthest point from Earth was 406,700 kilometers, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. It was the first time in more than 50 years that humans had traveled into lunar orbit.
Wiseman served as commander. He previously spent 165 days aboard the International Space Station. Glover served as pilot. After working as a naval aviator and test pilot, he took part in the Crew-1 mission. Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) also flew as mission specialists.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the two astronauts “contributed to America’s return to the lunar environment by undertaking one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight.” Vanessa Wyche, director of the Johnson Space Center, said their “dedication to exploration and unwavering leadership have created a lasting impact.”
The only personnel to have flown Orion
Glover said he would pass on his knowledge of the Orion spacecraft’s systems to future Artemis missions. “Even as I adapt to my new role, NASA and human spaceflight will remain meaningful parts of my journey of service,” he said. “I will continue to support my colleagues as they move toward the Moon.”
Wiseman will share his flight experience with colleagues preparing for Artemis III. “NASA entrusted me with great responsibility and supported me through two space missions and my time as chief of the astronaut office,” he said. “I am pleased to continue contributing to future missions and programs through the honorary position system.”
Scott Tingle, chief of the astronaut office at the Johnson Space Center, said, “The operational capabilities legacy these two leave behind will help shape the astronaut corps for many years to come.”
The value of their experience has grown amid changes to the mission plan. NASA decided on February 27 this year to change the configuration of Artemis III and announced the decision in March. The agency provided details in a briefing on July 15. Artemis III, originally planned as a lunar landing mission, has been changed to a demonstration in low Earth orbit.
Artemis III, scheduled for 2027, will involve the launches of three rockets in succession: Blue Origin’s Blue Moon, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) carrying Orion, and SpaceX’s Starship test vehicle. The four crew members will conduct two rendezvous and docking operations in Earth orbit.
The crew will not transfer to Starship. The process is intended to verify whether the combined vehicles can be controlled safely and whether communications can be maintained. Jeremy Parsons, Artemis program manager, described it as “one of the most complex and ambitious undertakings” involving both ground and flight operations.
The mission to land people on the lunar surface has been moved to Artemis IV, which is targeted for early 2028.
With the schedule pushed back, the experience of actually operating Orion has become even more valuable. Artemis II remains the only mission to have flown people aboard Orion. As the two astronauts who commanded and piloted that flight step away from active duty, NASA has chosen a structure that keeps them within the organization.