Two NASA astronauts who will be part of the Artemis II mission have roots in the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) and the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD), two Navy facilities responsible for developing and testing military aircraft and weapons.
Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, Jr. are two of the four crew members selected for the Artemis II mission, which will be the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket. The mission is expected to take place in 2023 and will carry astronauts to lunar orbit.
According to the NAWCAD, Wiseman served as a test pilot and project officer at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. During his time there, he worked on various flight test programs involving the F-35 Lightning II, F-18 weapons separation, Ship Suitability and the T-45 Goshawk.
Glover, on the other hand, was a test pilot with the Dust Devils of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX?31 in China Lake, California. He tested various weapons systems on the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler.
Wiseman has a bachelor’s degree in computer and systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and a master’s degree in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He was commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) after graduation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1997 and reported to Pensacola, Florida, for flight training. He was designated as a Naval Aviator in 1999 and reported to Fighter Squadron 101, Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, for transition to the F-14 Tomcat.
After serving in various positions in the Navy, Wiseman was selected as one of 9 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class in 2009. He served as Flight Engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 41 and commanded the NEEMO21 mission at the Aquarius Reef Habitat off Islamorada, Florida. He also served as Chief of the Astronaut Office. Wiseman has been assigned as Commander of NASA’s Artemis II mission.
Glover, a native of California, holds a bachelor’s degree in general engineering, a master’s degree in flight test engineering, a master’s degree in systems engineering, and a master’s degree in military operational art and science. He was a test pilot in the F/A-18 Hornet, Super Hornet, and EA-18G Growler before being selected as an astronaut in 2013.
He completed astronaut candidate training in 2015 and was assigned as Pilot of NASA’s Artemis II mission. Glover served as pilot and second-in-command on the Crew-1 SpaceX Crew Dragon, named Resilience, which landed on May 2, 2021, after a long duration mission aboard the International Space Station for Expedition 64.
Both Wiseman and Glover have been recognized for their service and accomplishments. Wiseman has received the Air Medal with Combat V (five awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat V (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and various other campaign and service awards. Glover has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and NASA Space Exploration Medal.
The NAWCAD and NAWCWD facilities have been responsible for developing and testing many military aircraft and weapons systems that the Navy and other branches of the military have used. The facilities have also played a
NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish sustainable exploration of the moon by the end of the decade, and two of the four crew members on the upcoming Artemis II mission are from the NAWCAD and NAWCWD family of flight tests. Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover have both served as astronauts for NASA and have impressive backgrounds in the military and scientific fields.