We will soon have liftoff — California native Victor J. Glover Jr. is set to play a key role in a new chapter in human space exploration.
A U.S. Navy captain and NASA astronaut, Glover, 49, is assigned to pilot the Artemis II mission, a journey that will make him the first Black astronaut to travel around the moon. His selection is a defining moment, uplifting the dreams of a new generation of children who will see themselves reflected in his out-of-this-world adventures.
The Artemis II mission is slated to launch in April on a 10-day lunar flyby that is a key step toward returning humans to the moon and, eventually, missions to Mars.
Glover, a native of Pomona, brings a wealth of experience to the Artemis II’s four-person crew. He earned a bachelor’s in general engineering from Cal Poly and holds multiple master’s degrees in flight test engineering, systems engineering and military operational art and science.
His extensive military career as a naval aviator includes accumulating 3,500 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft, executing more than 400 carrier arrested landings, and flying 24 combat missions in jets such as the F/A-18 Hornet. Glover was selected as an astronaut in 2013 while serving as a legislative fellow in the United States Senate.
His first trip to space started in November 2020, piloting Resilience, a Crew-1 Dragon spacecraft. He flew to the International Space Station, where he also served as flight engineer and conducted four spacewalks and numerous scientific, maintenance and outreach activities.
Glover is active on social media and his posts often offer NASA updates and reflect his dedication to his work. In past posts, he’s described himself as a “Regular Person, @USNavy Captain, and @NASA Astronaut.” He actively uses his platforms to encourage others to join NASA, stating, “Come help us put humans in space and space in humanity!”
Glover’s achievement follows in the footsteps of pioneers like Dr. Bernard Harris Jr., who on Feb. 9, 1995, became the first Black man to walk in space. The OBSERVER spoke to Dr. Harris in 2025 as he prepared for his induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Dr. Harris, who had his own dreams of going to the moon, spoke of the crucial importance of diverse representation. He lauded Glover, calling him and others the future.
“He is a remarkable young man,” Dr. Harris said. “The whole group is. We’ll also have the first woman to go to the moon on that crew.”
Glover will be joined on the Artemis II by Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Glover’s achievement continues a journey that began with the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. During that historic moment, astronaut Neil Armstrong famously declared, “one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
At the time, a deeply divided nation watched from home. America was grappling with an unpopular war in Vietnam, rapid social change and the assassinations of vocal leaders Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the previous year.
On July 15, 1969, the day before Apollo 11 launched, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, a fellow leader and friend of Dr. King, led a Poor People’s Campaign protest at the Kennedy Space Center. Rev. Abernathy criticized the billions spent on the space program, arguing that national priorities were misplaced given the widespread poverty in America.
The successful moon landing offered a brief moment of national unity. Even Dr. Harris remembers watching with his family.
Though historically limited, Black participation in NASA has cultivated a profound sense of pride, established a vital presence and fuels hope that future possibilities are, in fact, limitless.
Many would argue that Glover’s role as the Artemis II pilot represents not only a personal achievement, but a historic leap for all.