Artemis II commander Reed Wiseman will become vice president of the California Institute of Technology and deputy director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on November 30, 2026. The emeritus astronaut and former U.S. Navy captain will help oversee Caltech’s management of NASA’s Center of Excellence in Robotics and Deep Space Exploration and JPL, bringing experience from human spaceflight, Navy aviation, and NASA leadership.
“Mr. Reed has spent his career pushing the limits of what is possible and has the technical judgment, operational experience, and leadership to push those limits even further,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “As commander of Artemis II, he helped put America in lunar orbit, and now, as an honorary astronaut, he will continue to give back to NASA from a new perspective at JPL. Reed will be joining a storied laboratory with a vast history, but there is much more ahead, and I look forward to seeing what he and the JPL team accomplish in the years ahead.”
A record-setting Artemis II mission
During Artemis II’s test flight, Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen traveled 695,081 miles on a lunar flyby—the farthest distance ever traveled by humans.
“It feels fitting that Mr. Reed, who traveled further from Earth than any human in history with the crew of Artemis II, will join Caltech and JPL, an institution that has sent spacecraft to the edges of the solar system and beyond for nearly 90 years,” said Dave Gallagher, JPL director and Caltech vice president. “Reed shares our drive for discovery, knows what it takes to lead a team to accomplish high-stakes missions, and has an uncanny ability to inspire people everywhere. Reed will be an incredible addition to our leadership team as we build on the Institute’s legacy and shape its future together.”
Wiseman’s NASA career
Wiseman joined NASA’s astronaut corps in 2009. In 2014, he served as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station during the 165-day Expedition Mission 41. In 2016, he commanded NASA’s 21st Extreme Environment Mission Operations expedition, spending eight days in an underwater habitat.
Since December, Wiseman has served as NASA’s chief astronaut. From 2020 to November 2022, he led NASA’s astronaut corps and oversaw crew flight readiness and crew safety for all of the agency’s human spaceflight missions. During his years at NASA, he conducted hundreds of scientific experiments.
“I’ve explored the furthest reaches of what humans can explore at NASA, and there really wasn’t a word in the English vocabulary to describe watching the sun disappear behind the moon from deep space. But that experience was the very launching pad for Caltech and JPL to dream, take on challenges together, and do the impossible for NASA and the nation,” Wiseman said. “It has been a great time in my career to join this team and advance humanity and our understanding of the solar system and the universe.”
Leadership responsibilities at Caltech and JPL
Wiseman joins JPL, NASA’s only federally funded research and development center, as the laboratory and Caltech mark 90 years since JPL was founded by Caltech.
As Caltech’s vice chancellor and JPL deputy director, Wiseman will be responsible for the strategic leadership, stewardship, and continuous improvement of Institute operations. His work will include a close partnership with Caltech on organizational planning, management, and compliance.
As the center management authority for JPL mission execution, Wiseman will help ensure operational excellence across mission-support functions in accordance with NASA requirements and applicable federal and state regulations. He will also serve as the primary point of contact for JPL’s national security programs.
“Mr. Reed brings to Caltech and JPL a truly unprecedented view of what humanity can accomplish when ingenuity and determination are matched with the courage to pursue the remotest frontiers,” said Caltech President Ray Jayawardhana. “His pioneering spirit and boundless curiosity make him a natural fit for Caltech and JPL, where we are doubling down on the power of our community to continue boldly pushing the boundaries of human reach. I look forward to working closely with Dave and Reed as we partner with NASA to chart the next era of exploration, taking America’s space ambitions to breathtaking new heights.”
From engineering to spaceflight
Wiseman earned a bachelor’s degree in computer and systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before joining the Navy, where he flew combat missions and worked as a test pilot. He also holds a master’s degree in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University in his hometown of Baltimore.
Source: www.nasa.gov