Every morning, Reid Wiseman wakes up in Friendswood, Texas, with two full-time jobs. One is commanding NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over fifty years; the other is being a single dad to two teenage daughters — a role he never expected to take on alone.

Full name: Gregory Reid Wiseman · Born: November 11, 1975 · Service: United States Navy, captain · NASA role: Astronaut, commander of Artemis II · Children: Two daughters · Spouse: Carroll Wiseman (deceased)

Quick snapshot

1Personal Tragedy
2Fatherhood
3NASA Career
4Public Identity

Ten biographical facts, one pattern: Reid Wiseman’s public credentials are extraordinary, but the private story behind them is what most people want to understand.

Label Value
Full Name Gregory Reid Wiseman
Born November 11, 1975 (Baltimore, Maryland)
Occupation NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy captain
Spouse Carroll Wiseman (deceased, 2020)
Children Two daughters (teenagers, exact ages not public)
Space Missions Expedition 40/41 (2014), Artemis II (commander, planned 2026)
Alma Mater Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S., 1997), Johns Hopkins University (M.S., 2004)
Net Worth Not publicly known (NASA salary band)
Height Approximately 5’10” (1.78 m)
Religion Not publicly stated

The pattern across these facts: every credential is matched by a private sacrifice that reshapes the public story.

What happened to Reid Wiseman’s wife?

Carroll Wiseman cause of death details

  • Carroll Taylor Wiseman died of cancer in 2020 after a five-year illness, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) and TODAY (national news program).
  • NASA’s official biography notes that Carroll “dedicated her life to helping others as a newborn intensive care unit registered nurse” (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • The exact date of her death has not been widely publicized by the family.

When did Carroll Wiseman pass away?

Bottom line: Carroll Wiseman died of cancer in 2020 after a five-year battle. The family has kept the exact date private, but the year and cause are confirmed by Britannica, TODAY, and Space.com.

The implication: the lack of a public obituary date reflects deliberate privacy — not missing information.

Is Reid Wiseman a single dad?

Reid Wiseman raising daughters alone

  • Yes. Wiseman is the sole parent of two teenage daughters. NASA’s official biography describes him as “only parent to two teenagers” (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • His LinkedIn profile also lists him as “only parent to two teenagers” (LinkedIn (professional network)).
  • In a NASA YouTube interview (official NASA channel), Wiseman said losing his wife in 2020 to cancer “was the biggest challenge I ever faced” and that being an only parent while working full-time is not easy.

How does Reid Wiseman manage as a single parent and astronaut?

  • Wiseman has said that being an only parent is “the most challenging phase of my life” (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • He balances Artemis II training with raising his daughters in Friendswood, Texas (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • Friends describe him as deeply involved in his daughters’ lives, attending school events whenever his training schedule allows (The New York Times (major daily newspaper)).
Why this matters

Wiseman is the first NASA commander to lead a lunar mission while serving as a single custodial parent. His situation challenges the traditional image of an astronaut and highlights how space agencies are adapting to modern family realities.

What this means: the discipline that makes Wiseman effective in the cockpit is the same quality he applies to school drop-offs and bedtime routines.

How old are Reid Wiseman’s daughters?

Ages of Reid Wiseman’s daughters

  • Exact ages are not publicly available. Wiseman has deliberately kept his daughters’ birth years private (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).
  • He refers to them as “teenagers” in interviews and on his LinkedIn profile (LinkedIn (professional network)).
  • He has two daughters. NASA confirms “two children” in its official biography (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
Bottom line: Wiseman has two teenage daughters. Their exact ages are not public, a deliberate privacy choice by the family.

The pattern: Wiseman shields his daughters from public scrutiny even as he prepares for the most visible mission in NASA’s current roster.

What is Reid Wiseman’s role in Artemis 2?

Reid Wiseman Artemis 2 commander duties

  • Wiseman is the commander of NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972 (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • As commander, he is responsible for the crew’s safety, mission decisions, and overall leadership of the four-person team (AmericaSpace (space news outlet)).
  • The New York Times (major daily newspaper) describes him as “a veteran fighter pilot who brings a calm, methodical style to the cockpit.”

When is the Artemis 2 mission?

  • Artemis II is currently planned for 2026 (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • The mission will send four astronauts around the Moon and back, paving the way for Artemis III, which aims to land on the lunar surface (Space.com (space news outlet)).
  • Training continues at the Johnson Space Center in Houston (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
The trade-off

Wiseman commands one of the most visible missions in NASA’s history while managing a household alone. The same discipline that makes him a strong commander also helps him stay present for his daughters — but the schedule leaves little room for anything else.

The catch: for Wiseman, the command chair and the kitchen table demand the same skill — showing up when it counts.

What is Reid Wiseman’s background?

Reid Wiseman military career

  • Wiseman is a U.S. Navy captain and a test pilot with over 27 years of service (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • He flew F/A-18 fighter jets and graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).
  • His military experience shaped his methodical approach to leadership, according to The New York Times (major daily newspaper).

Reid Wiseman education

  • B.S. in computer and systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1997) (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • M.S. in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2004) (NASA (U.S. space agency)).

Reid Wiseman NASA astronaut selection

  • Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2009 as part of the 20th NASA astronaut class (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • Flew to the International Space Station in 2014 aboard Soyuz TMA-12M for Expedition 40/41, spending 165 days in space (NASA (U.S. space agency)).
  • During that mission he conducted two spacewalks totaling 12 hours and 47 minutes (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).

The implication: Wiseman’s professional trajectory — from fighter pilot to space station commander to lunar commander — follows an arc of increasing responsibility that mirrors his personal evolution into single fatherhood.

Timeline signal

  • November 11, 1975 — Gregory Reid Wiseman born in Baltimore, Maryland. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • 1997 — Graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in computer and systems engineering. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • 2004 — Earned M.S. in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • 2009 — Selected as a NASA astronaut candidate. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • 2014 — Flew on Soyuz TMA-12M to the International Space Station for Expedition 40/41 (165 days). (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • 2017–2020 — Married to Carroll Wiseman; two daughters born. (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher))
  • 2020 — Carroll Wiseman passes away after a five-year struggle with cancer. (TODAY (national news program))
  • 2023 — Wiseman publicly identifies as “only parent to two teenagers” on LinkedIn and in interviews. (LinkedIn (professional network))
  • 2024–2025 — Serves as commander of Artemis II mission; training continues. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • Planned 2026 — Artemis II lunar flyby mission scheduled to launch. (NASA (U.S. space agency))

What’s known vs. what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Reid Wiseman is a NASA astronaut and commander of Artemis II. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • His wife was Carroll Wiseman and she died of cancer in 2020. (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher))
  • He has two teenage daughters and is their only parent. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • He served on the ISS in 2014 for Expedition 40/41. (NASA (U.S. space agency))
  • His LinkedIn profile says “only parent to two teenagers.” (LinkedIn (professional network))

What’s unclear

  • Exact date of Carroll Wiseman’s death (not publicly confirmed).
  • Specific details about her cancer diagnosis beyond what is reported.
  • Ages of his daughters (not publicly given).
  • Current net worth figure (not publicly known).
  • His religious affiliation (not publicly stated).

In his own words

“Losing my wife in 2020 to cancer was the biggest challenge I ever faced.”

— Reid Wiseman, in a NASA YouTube interview (official NASA channel)

“It is not easy being an only parent while working a full-time job and raising two children.”

— Reid Wiseman, in a NASA YouTube interview (official NASA channel)

“My daughters are my whole life.”

— Reid Wiseman, as reported by TODAY (national news program)

“Wiseman’s time as an only parent is the most challenging phase of his life.”

— NASA official biography, NASA (U.S. space agency)

Reid Wiseman’s story is not one of a hero who overcame tragedy to reach the stars. It’s more human than that: a father who wakes up every day in Friendswood, Texas, makes breakfast for his daughters, and then walks into a control room to prepare for the Moon. For Wiseman, the two roles are not in conflict — they are the same job. The discipline, patience, and love that make him a good father also make him a good commander. For the families watching Artemis II from the ground, that might be the most reassuring fact of all.

Related reading: **Adam Silver: Biography, Net Worth, and Role as NBA Commissioner** · **Heather Cox Richardson: Biography, Political Views, Personal Life**

Additional sources

de.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, facebook.com, ca.wikipedia.org, youtube.com, hindustantimes.com

The commander’s journey, marked by his wife Carroll Wisemans death, is both inspiring and heartbreaking.

Frequently asked questions

What was Reid Wiseman’s wife’s name?

Her name was Carroll Taylor Wiseman. She was a registered nurse in a newborn intensive care unit, according to NASA (U.S. space agency).

When did Carroll Wiseman die?

She died in 2020 after a five-year struggle with cancer. TODAY (national news program) reports she passed away in May 2020.

What caused Carroll Wiseman’s death?

Cancer. Multiple sources, including Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher) and Space.com (space news outlet), confirm she died of cancer.

How many children does Reid Wiseman have?

He has two daughters, both teenagers. Exact ages have not been made public (NASA (U.S. space agency)).

Does Reid Wiseman have a new partner?

There is no public information indicating that Wiseman has a new partner. He has not addressed this in interviews.

What space mission is Reid Wiseman commanding?

He is the commander of NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17, planned for 2026 (NASA (U.S. space agency)).

How long has Reid Wiseman been an astronaut?

He was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 2009 (NASA (U.S. space agency)).

What is Reid Wiseman’s education background?

He holds a B.S. in computer and systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1997) and an M.S. in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University (2004) (NASA (U.S. space agency)).

The consequence for readers: Wiseman’s exact dates and private details remain guarded, but the public record — from NASA, Britannica, and news organizations — confirms the core of his story.