Artemis II Moon Commander Joins NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab

The man who just circled the Moon is now steering humanity's robotic exploration of the cosmos.

Reid Wiseman, commander of the groundbreaking Artemis II mission that took four astronauts farther than any humans have ever traveled, is joining NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as deputy director. He starts his new role on November 30, 2026, at the Southern California center known for sending spacecraft to the far reaches of our solar system.

During Artemis II, Wiseman and his crew journeyed an astounding 695,081 miles on a lunar flyby. The mission marked America's return to deep space exploration and set a new record for human distance from Earth.

Now the retired Navy captain and former astronaut is trading his spacesuit for a leadership desk at one of the most innovative research centers on the planet. JPL manages missions from Mars rovers to deep space telescopes, and Wiseman will help guide the lab's next era of discovery.

His resume reads like an adventure novel. Wiseman spent 165 days aboard the International Space Station in 2014, lived eight days in an underwater habitat simulating space exploration in 2016, and led NASA's entire astronaut corps from 2020 to 2022. Throughout his career, he's conducted hundreds of scientific experiments.

"There were truly no words in the English vocabulary to describe seeing the Sun disappear behind the Moon from deep space," Wiseman said. "But that experience was really the jumping off point to go do the impossible things that Caltech and JPL dream, dare together, and do for NASA and the nation."

Why This Inspires

Wiseman represents something rare in leadership: someone who has literally pushed the boundaries of human exploration and can now help push the boundaries of robotic discovery. His journey from combat pilot to test pilot to astronaut to space leader shows how determination and curiosity can take you to places nobody has ever been.

JPL Director Dave Gallagher highlighted what makes Wiseman perfect for the role. "Reid shares our drive for discovery, knows what it takes to lead teams through high-stakes missions, and has a remarkable ability to inspire people everywhere," he said.

The timing feels almost poetic. Wiseman joins JPL just as the laboratory approaches its 90th anniversary, bringing fresh perspective to an institution that has spent nearly a century exploring our solar system and beyond.

As deputy director, he'll oversee laboratory operations, ensure mission excellence, and serve as the primary interface for national security programs. He'll help shape how JPL tackles everything from Mars exploration to asteroid missions to searching for life beyond Earth.

From Baltimore to the Moon to the future of space exploration, Wiseman's next chapter promises to be just as inspiring as his last.