Artemis II moonshot commander and pilot are hanging up their astronaut suits at NASA

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Published: 2026-09-09T19:44:31.788Z • Permanent link

Two NASA astronauts, Chris Kemp and Jessica Watkins, are hanging up their astronaut suits at NASA, marking the end of their spaceflight careers. The two individuals led the Artemis II moonshot earlier this year, which successfully tested the agency's new lunar lander and served as a crucial step in the agency's plans to return humans to the moon by 2025. According to NASA officials, Kemp and Watkins will be replaced by new astronauts who will lead the agency's lunar exploration efforts in the coming years.

Kemp, a veteran NASA astronaut with over 20 years of experience, played a key role in the Artemis II mission, serving as the mission's commander. Watkins, a geologist and engineer, was responsible for leading the lunar sample collection and analysis efforts during the mission. Both astronauts have been instrumental in helping to shape the agency's plans for lunar exploration and have been recognized for their contributions to the field.

NASA officials cited a combination of factors, including the demands of ongoing spaceflight missions and the need to bring in new talent to lead the agency's lunar exploration efforts. The decision to step down from spaceflight comes as NASA continues to push forward with its Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface by the 2020s. The agency has already begun to assemble a new team of astronauts who will lead the next phase of the program, including the Artemis III mission, which is currently slated to launch in 2024.

The retirement of Kemp and Watkins marks a significant development in the world of space exploration, with implications for companies and research communities that rely on NASA's lunar exploration efforts. For example, companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, which are vying for contracts to transport astronauts and cargo to the moon, will need to adapt to the changing landscape of NASA's lunar program. Similarly, research communities that rely on NASA's lunar samples and data will need to find new ways to access and analyze these resources.

The Artemis program has also had significant implications for the global space industry, with many countries, including the United States, China, and India, vying for a share of the lucrative lunar market. As NASA continues to push forward with its lunar exploration efforts, it is likely that the agency will need to work closely with international partners to ensure the success of the program. For example, NASA has already partnered with the European Space Agency on several lunar missions, and the agency has expressed interest in working with other international partners on future lunar missions.

The retirement of Kemp and Watkins marks the latest chapter in a long history of NASA's lunar exploration efforts. The agency's first lunar mission, Ranger 4, was launched in 1962, and since then, NASA has sent numerous spacecraft to the moon, including the Apollo missions, which successfully landed astronauts on the lunar surface in the late 1960s and early 1970s. More recently, NASA has launched several lunar missions, including the LADEE and LRO missions, which have provided valuable insights into the moon's composition and geology.