U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Andrew R. Morgan has officially retired from NASA, marking the end of a distinguished 12-year tenure with the space agency. Morgan, who was selected for the 21st astronaut class in 2013, is transitioning back to full-time military service, currently serving as the commanding general of the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

During his time as an astronaut, Morgan achieved significant milestones, most notably spending 272 days aboard the International Space Station. His mission, which began on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, saw him serve as a flight engineer for Expeditions 60, 61, and 62. Over the course of his mission, he traveled more than 115 million miles and completed over 4,300 orbits around Earth, contributing to a vast array of scientific research and station maintenance.

Morgan’s legacy at the agency is highlighted by his record-breaking spacewalking activity. He conducted seven spacewalks totaling nearly 46 hours, setting a new record for a single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut. A significant portion of this time was dedicated to the complex repairs of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a critical instrument used to study dark matter and antimatter. Beyond his time in orbit, he held various leadership roles, including mission support branch chief and crew operations officer.

Before joining the astronaut corps, Morgan was a board-certified emergency physician and a veteran of elite special forces units. A graduate of West Point and the U.S. Army War College, he has balanced a career in medicine, military leadership, and space exploration. Reflecting on his departure, Morgan expressed gratitude for his time in the space program, noting that while leaving the astronaut corps is a bittersweet transition, he remains committed to his ongoing service to the country within the U.S. Army.