Victor Glover NASA astronaut portrait, 2023. Photo by Robert Markowitz at NASA photo.
Victor J. Glover, Jr., a native of Los Angeles County, is serving as pilot of Artemis II, marking a significant milestone in modern space exploration. On April 1, 2026, he joined the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon in more than five decades, becoming the first Black astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit.
Glover was born in Pomona and went on to graduate from California Polytechnic State University in 1999 with a degree in general engineering. He subsequently entered the United States Navy, where he served as a naval aviator and test pilot, logging more than 3,000 flight hours across over 40 aircraft types. Glover advanced to the rank of U.S. Navy Captain.
Glover was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2013. In 2020, he first flew in space as pi, lot of the SpaceX Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station. During that 168-day mission, he became the first African American astronaut to complete a long-duration stay aboard the station and participated in four spacewalks.
Victor Glover, top center, with fellow Artemis II astronauts Christina Koch, left (mission specialist, American engineer), Jeremy Hansen, right (mission specialist, Canadian Air Force colonel, aviator, astronaut) and, Reid Wiseman, bottom center (mission commander, U.S. Navy Captain, aviator, astronaut). Photo by Josh Valcarcel at NASA Flickr.
As pilot of the 2026 Artemis II mission to the moon, Glover is responsible for assisting in the operation and testing of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System. The mission is designed to evaluate spacecraft systems and crew performance in deep space, serving as a precursor to future lunar landings under NASA’s Artemis program.
Unlike missions aboard the ISS, Artemis II will operate far beyond Earth orbit, requiring the crew to rely entirely on onboard systems and supplies.
Glover’s trajectory—from a Pomona student to a participant in a historic lunar mission—reflects both his individual achievement and broader progress in how the U.S. space program is represented. His role in Artemis II contributes to ongoing efforts to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon and supports future exploration deeper into the solar system.
Victor Glover and other crewmembers on SpaceX Dragon mission to International Space Station, 2020. Photo from NASA Flickr.
