Reid Wiseman to serve as Caltech associate vice president and JPL deputy director

Reid Wiseman will assume the roles of Caltech associate vice president and deputy director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Nov. 30, 2026.

Wiseman holds emeritus astronaut status and is a retired U.S. Navy captain. In the dual appointment, he will handle strategic leadership, oversee laboratory operations, and ensure the lab meets NASA requirements and federal and state regulations. He will also act as the Center Management Authority for JPL mission execution, upholding operational excellence under NASA standards. His responsibilities will cover close partnership with Caltech on planning and management for the institution, and he will be the main contact for JPL’s national security programs.

Wiseman led NASA’s astronaut corps as chief astronaut from December 2020 until November 2022, managing crew readiness and safety for all NASA human spaceflight missions. As commander of Artemis II, he flew with Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen on a lunar flyby that covered 695,081 miles. The flight set a new mark for the farthest distance humans have traveled in space.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is NASA’s sole federally funded research and development center and is nearing its 90th anniversary since Caltech founded it. Caltech runs the laboratory for NASA, and the facility focuses on deep space exploration and robotics. Its workforce has long focused on deep space exploration and robotics.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Wiseman has the technical judgment and leadership needed to advance the laboratory’s work. Isaacman noted that Wiseman’s experience as the Artemis II commander will allow him to contribute to NASA from a new position at the laboratory.

Dave Gallagher, JPL director and Caltech vice president, said the appointment suits someone who has traveled farther from Earth than any other person. Gallagher pointed to Wiseman’s shared drive for discovery and his record of leading high-stakes missions. He said it would strengthen JPL’s leadership team and add to its legacy of extending humanity’s reach into the solar system. Gallagher spoke on Oct. 29, 2026, during the announcement.

Caltech President Ray Jayawardhana said Wiseman’s appointment would serve as a force-multiplier for Caltech and JPL. Jayawardhana cited Wiseman’s pioneering spirit and curiosity as strengths that can raise the nation’s space goals. He said Wiseman’s leadership is crucial to defining the next chapter of exploration and stressed his talent for inspiring innovation alongside NASA. Jayawardhana made the comments on Oct. 29, 2026, during the announcement.

Wiseman said he looks forward to joining Caltech and JPL and credited his Artemis II experience with inspiring him to chase what he described as “impossible” missions while expanding knowledge of the solar system and universe. He added that he is eager to work with JPL’s teams and called the lunar flyby a source of motivation for future efforts. Wiseman spoke on Oct. 29, 2026, during the announcement.

Wiseman is moving to emeritus status at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, a shift announced Sept. 10, 2026. The emeritus position lets highly skilled people help the agency by mentoring and training the current workforce in specialized consulting jobs. He will keep supporting NASA’s Artemis III mission in that role and pass along his knowledge to astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers. That status lets him guide upcoming missions while keeping flexibility for other work, preserving expertise for Artemis III and beyond.

Before leading astronauts, Wiseman worked as a flight engineer on the International Space Station during the 165-day Expedition 41 mission in 2014. On that mission, he carried out more than 300 scientific experiments and took part in two spacewalks. “There is no better place to work, and there are no better people to work with, than those in this agency,” Wiseman said. His station work preceded his leadership of the astronaut corps.

Wiseman’s move to JPL follows his transition to emeritus status at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, announced Sept. 10, 2026. He will begin the Caltech and JPL roles on Nov. 30, 2026.