Artemis II commander and pilot join NASA's new astronaut emeritus program

Victor Glover told collectSPACE.com on Wednesday that the emeritus program is technically a retirement program, typically used for scientists with groundbreaking research who wish to return to academia. Glover has accepted a full-time administrative leadership position at his alma mater, California Polytechnic State University, and will also volunteer his expertise on the Orion spacecraft and its systems to future Artemis missions, waiving compensation for this service.

Reid Wiseman also plans to use his emeritus status to share his spaceflight experience with colleagues preparing for the Artemis III mission, which is targeted for no earlier than mid-2027. The Artemis III crew will test Orion's rendezvous and docking capabilities with commercial human landing systems in low Earth orbit.

Historically, astronauts pursuing private industry, public office, or military service retired from NASA. Those no longer eligible for flight assignments but wishing to remain at the agency were categorized as management astronauts. The emeritus program offers a more formal structure for continued engagement.

The Artemis II mission, which saw Wiseman, Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen fly by the Moon, recently completed its final post-flight activities.