Reid Wiseman, Maryland native who led Artemis II mission, retires to NASA emeritus status

Astronaut Reid Wiseman, a Baltimore County native, is retiring from his current role with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and transitioning to the agency's emeritus status, NASA officials announced Thursday. 

Wiseman notably served as commander of NASA's recent Artemis II mission, leading a four-person crew on a 10-day journey around the moon before splashing down off the coast of San Diego. They made history by flying farther in space than anyone had before.

"There is no better place to work, and there are no better people to work with, than those in this agency," Wiseman said in a statement with Thursday's announcement. "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. I'm thrilled to continue serving future missions and programs through the emeritus program."

NASA said Wiseman's fellow Artemis crew member, Victor Glover, is also transitioning to an emeritus role this month. 

"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." said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. "Reid commanded Artemis II after previously spending 165 days aboard the International Space Station, while Victor brought his experience as a naval aviator, test pilot, and Crew-1 astronaut to his role as pilot. Together, they took on one of the most challenging missions in human spaceflight and helped return America to the lunar environment."

What is NASA emeritus status?

The agency said Wiseman and Glover will have emeritus status at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. 

In an emeritus role, "individuals with a high degree of technical and professional knowledge can continue to support the agency by donating their time to train and mentor the current workforce," according to the news release. 

"This allows the agency to maintain access to top talent in a specialized consultant role, while simultaneously providing the individual with the flexibility to pursue other opportunities," the release added.

Wiseman will specifically share his expertise for NASA's upcoming Artemis III mission, and Glover will support aerospace, leadership and public service projects within and outside the agency. 

"As Reid and Victor transition to emeritus status, 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 Reid Wiseman?

Wiseman grew up in Cockeysville and graduated from Dulaney High School in Timonium before earning a Bachelor of Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and then a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

The Baltimore County Council honored Wiseman as a hometown hero following the successful Artemis mission. 

"The really important thing for me on this mission was to try to connect with all of humanity on Earth," he said at the time. "Our mission is Artemis II, but on our patch, we made it look like 'ALL,' Artemis II, because we really wanted to go for all and by all."

The 27-year Navy veteran made two deployments to the Middle East and was at sea when he was chosen for astronaut training. He was selected by NASA in 2009 and served as flight engineer on board the International Space Station for Expedition 41 from May through November 2014.

"During the 165-day mission, Reid and his crewmates completed over 300 scientific experiments in areas such as human physiology, medicine, physical science, Earth science and astrophysics," his bio says. "This was Reid's first spaceflight, which also included almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker during two trips outside the orbital complex. Reid also fostered a strong social media presence throughout his mission by sharing the raw emotions of spaceflight as seen through the eyes of a rookie flier."

Wiseman later served as chief of the astronaut office from 2020 through 2022. 

He and his late wife, Carroll, have two children and he "considers his time as an only parent as his greatest challenge and the most rewarding phase of his life," according to his bio.