Artemis II astronauts leave active duty after historic deep space mission
The four crew members who flew around the moon in 2026 have all transitioned to new roles at NASA, CSA and in academia.
The four astronauts who flew farther into deep space than any humans before them have all stepped away from active astronaut duty.
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, completed a nearly 10-day lunar flyby mission in April 2026 aboard Artemis II.
That mission tested NASA's Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System rocket and life-support systems, paving the way for future lunar landings.
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Mission Commander Reid Wiseman transitioned to NASA's emeritus astronaut program in September.
"Although he is no longer eligible for future spaceflight assignments, Wiseman will continue sharing his experience with NASA astronauts, flight controllers and engineers," NASA said in a statement.
The agency said his knowledge will be especially valuable as it prepares for the Artemis III mission and future lunar flights.
Pilot Victor Glover also became a NASA emeritus astronaut in September and has taken a full-time administrative leadership role at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University.
He will advise university leaders, help develop strategic partnerships and support programs in engineering, aerospace and artificial intelligence.
Mission Specialist Christina Koch will transition into a senior leadership role as NASA's acting deputy chief engineer beginning Nov. 1.
In that role, she will help oversee technical standards, mission readiness and engineering efforts across the agency's programs.
NASA said the move places Koch in management astronaut status, meaning she will no longer be eligible for future spaceflight assignments.
After the Artemis II mission, Jeremy Hansen retired from active astronaut duty with the Canadian Space Agency.
According to the CSA, he is now pursuing new professional opportunities while continuing to serve as a reservist in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Hansen will also remain an ambassador for Canada's space program and future exploration efforts.
The NASA emeritus program allows former astronauts with specialized expertise to continue supporting the agency by training and mentoring current employees while pursuing other professional opportunities.
The Artemis II astronauts may be finished flying, but their mission was designed to prepare NASA for what comes next.
Artemis III is scheduled to launch in 2027 with NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.
The mission will conduct a series of tests in low Earth orbit, including rendezvous and docking operations between NASA's Orion spacecraft and commercial lunar lander systems developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Artemis III will not land astronauts on the moon. Instead, it will test critical systems needed for Artemis IV, which NASA currently identifies as the mission intended to return astronauts to the lunar surface in 2028.