Upstate New York Grad Leads Historic NASA Artemis II Lunar Mission

RPI alumnus Reid Wiseman commanded the crew that traveled farthest from Earth ever.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:23pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in soft, earthy tones of green, blue, and orange, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and concepts involved in the Artemis II lunar mission.The Artemis II lunar mission's historic journey, visualized through a bold, abstract scientific diagram.Troy Today

The Artemis II lunar mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, is coming to a close as the Orion spacecraft carrying astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Cook, and Jeremy Hansen prepares to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Wiseman, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, served as the mission commander and led his crew to the farthest distance from Earth that humans have ever traveled, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13.

Why it matters

The successful Artemis II mission is a major milestone for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era. Wiseman's leadership and the Upstate New York ties to this historic spaceflight highlight the important role that regional institutions and talent play in advancing space exploration.

The details

During the Artemis II mission, the Orion spacecraft reached a top speed of nearly 24,000 miles per hour as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. After splashing down, the capsule will be recovered by the USS John P. Murtha. Wiseman, who graduated from RPI in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Systems Engineering, credits his time at the Upstate New York college as foundational to his career, saying it taught him 'failure resistance' and prepared him to 'go out and change the world'.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026 from Cape Canaveral.
  • On April 6, 2026, the Artemis II crew reached the farthest distance from Earth ever traveled by humans, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13.
  • The Orion spacecraft is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on April 10, 2026 at around 5:07 pm Pacific Time.

The players

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission and a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Victor Glover

An astronaut on the Artemis II crew.

Christina Cook

An astronaut on the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

An astronaut on the Artemis II crew.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

The college in Troy, New York that Reid Wiseman attended and credits as foundational to his career.

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What they’re saying

“The college taught me 'failure resistance' and prepared me to 'go out and change the world'.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Mission Commander

“You made history and made all of America really proud.”

— President Trump

What’s next

NASA plans to use the data and lessons learned from the successful Artemis II mission to inform the Artemis III mission, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo program.

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission's connection to Upstate New York's Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute highlights the important role that regional institutions and talent play in advancing space exploration. Wiseman's leadership and the crew's historic achievements have inspired the nation and set the stage for future lunar missions.