Reid Wiseman to become JPL deputy director — Space.com

Former NASA astronaut and Artemis II mission commander Reid Wiseman will assume the positions of associate vice president at the California Institute of Technology and deputy director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on November 30. Space.com reports, citing a statement by JPL, which is managed by Caltech.

New position at JPL

In his new role, Wiseman will work under JPL Director Dave Gallagher. He will help provide strategic leadership, operational oversight and continuous improvement of the laboratory's work.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said that Wiseman has the technical judgment, operational experience and leadership qualities that will help push the boundaries of what is possible.

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Astronaut career

In September, Wiseman and Artemis II pilot Victor Glover announced their transition to astronaut emeritus status. Other crew members — Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — also changed their professional roles. Koch was appointed acting deputy chief engineer of NASA on November 1, while Hansen began service in the Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve.

Wiseman joined NASA's astronaut corps in 2009. Before that, he served in the U.S. Navy as a pilot and test pilot. He spent 165 days in orbit as part of Expeditions 40 and 41 aboard the International Space Station and conducted two spacewalks totaling nearly 13 hours. From December 2020 to November 2022, Wiseman was NASA's chief astronaut.

JPL specializes in robotic space exploration. The laboratory is responsible, among other things, for the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, the Europa Clipper mission, the Voyager probes and NASA's Deep Space Network.