Victor Glover set to make history as the first black astronaut to fly to the moon on Artemis II

For the first time in over 50 years, humans are preparing to journey back toward the Moon, and at the heart of this historic moment is Victor Glover. 

As earlier reported by Pulse Nigeria, the Artemis II won’t be landing on the moon just yet. The major objective is to prove that humans can safely travel to space and back. But beyond the science and engineering, Artemis II is also about representation, history, and a plot that’s been decades in the making.

Glover is set to become the first Black astronaut to travel to the Moon, marking a major milestone not just for NASA, but for space exploration as a whole.

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Victor Jerome Glover was born on April 30, 1976, in Pomona, California, and will be 49 years old in 2026. He is married to the former Dionna Odom Glover and has four children: Genesis, Maya, Joia, and Corinne. His parents are divorced, with his mother living in Southern California and his father and stepmother living in Prosper, Texas.

He is a practising Christian and has often spoken publicly about how his beliefs shape his perspective on life and purpose. In an article published on The Christian Chronicle, he declared that there are no atheists on rockets. 

Beyond his work in space and aviation, Glover finds joy in running, reading, and cherishing moments with his family. He also dedicates time to mentoring young people, with a particular focus on those from backgrounds that are often overlooked.

His hobbies reflect moments from his youth. Glover has always loved sports and was a star athlete in high school. He earned the 1994 Athlete of the Year Award at Ontario High School in Ontario, California. 

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Glover graduated with a degree in general engineering from California Polytechnic State University in 1999 before earning multiple advanced degrees, including a master of Science in flight test engineering (USAF TPS) and military operational art.

He later became a naval aviator in the United States Navy, flying F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets. Over the course of his military career, Glover logged more than 3,000 flight hours and completed 400+ carrier landings.

He also served in combat deployments and worked as a test pilot, further sharpening the technical expertise that would later make him a strong candidate for NASA.

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In 2013, Glover was selected by NASA as part of its astronaut group. The selection process is notoriously rigorous and requires not just academic excellence and physical fitness, but also the ability to perform under extreme pressure.

After years of training, Glover made his first spaceflight in 2020 aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon as part of the Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station. During that mission, he became the first Black astronaut to live aboard the ISS for an extended period.

His performance on that mission, plus his leadership, experience, and composure, cemented his place as a key figure in NASA’s future lunar ambitions.

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Artemis II is NASA’s first crewed mission to orbit the Moon since the Apollo programme. Unlike the Apollo missions, Artemis is designed to be more inclusive.

Glover will serve as the pilot of the mission, working alongside a diverse crew that includes:

• Reid Wiseman (Commander)

• Christina Koch (Mission Specialist)

• Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist, representing Canadian Space Agency)

They will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft, orbit the Moon, and return to Earth after testing critical systems needed for future lunar landings.

Beyond a technical milestone, this mission represents a powerful moment in history where a Black astronaut is travelling beyond low Earth orbit for the first time, breaking barriers that have existed for generations.

For young people around the world, especially in places like Nigeria, where interest in STEM is growing, Glover’s journey is both inspiring and tangible proof that global barriers can be broken.