NASA Veteran Reid Wiseman Appointed JPL Deputy Director
Caltech has named Artemis II commander and former ISS astronaut Reid Wiseman as the new deputy director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, bridging the gap between human exploration and robotic science.
Operational Transition: Reid Wiseman to JPL
In a strategic alignment of human spaceflight experience and robotic exploration, Caltech has officially appointed Reid Wiseman as the next deputy director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). According to NASA Breaking News, Wiseman—a seasoned astronaut currently slated to lead the Artemis II lunar flyby mission—will assume his new leadership role at the Pasadena-based facility to oversee day-to-day operations and strategic technical initiatives.
Strategic Trajectory
Wiseman brings a robust operational dossier to the JPL directorate. A decorated Naval Aviator and captain in the U.S. Navy, he served as a flight engineer during Expedition 41 to the International Space Station, logging 165 days in low-Earth orbit. His subsequent tenure as Chief of the Astronaut Office (2020–2022) involved managing the flight assignments and training protocols for the entire NASA astronaut corps.
At JPL, Wiseman will work under Director Laurie Leshin to manage the laboratory’s portfolio of autonomous spacecraft and deep-space communication networks. His transition signifies a tightening loop between the requirements of crewed lunar missions and the robotic precursors developed at JPL.
Command and Continuity
Wiseman replaces Larry James, who served as deputy director for over a decade. While Wiseman continues to prepare for his command of the Orion spacecraft for Artemis II, his integration into JPL signals a move toward high-tempo, multi-disciplinary mission management. The appointment is effective immediately, positioning Wiseman at the intersection of NASA's most critical deep-space robotics and the upcoming return to the Moon.