7 Facts About Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover That You May Not Know

Meet Victor J. Glover, Jr., astronaut, trailblazer, and pilot of some of the most historic missions in space exploration. Selected as an astronaut in 2013 while serving as a Legislative Fellow in the United States Senate, he quickly made his mark in the cosmos, according to the NASA website. Victor Glover served as pilot of the Crew-1 Dragon spacecraft, Resilience, which flew to the International Space Station, where he also served as Flight Engineer for Expedition 64/65.

More recently, Glover took on another monumental mission as Pilot of NASA’s Artemis II flight around the moon. The crew launched on NASA’s Space Launch System rocket at 6:35 p.m. EDT on April 1, 2026, from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With a jaw-dropping 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, the American-built rocket carried the Orion spacecraft and its crew into space with pinpoint accuracy. It successfully landed on April 10.

But beyond the rockets and record-breaking missions, there are some lesser-known facts about this history-making pilot that might just surprise you.

1. He initially wanted to be a police officer.

In a 2020 interview with NASA, Victor Glover revealed that growing up he wanted to be a police officer because that was the profession of his father, but after seeing a shuttle launch on television, he thought:

“I really want to drive one of those.” 

The video opened up the doors and possibilities for the California native. 

2. He hopes to work on the surface of the moon one day.

During the same interview, he shared that he dreams of working on the moon’s surface someday. Glover recently returned from piloting the historic 10-day Artemis II mission, becoming the first Black astronaut on the first crewed flight to the moon in over 50 years. He operated the shuttle that sent him and three other astronauts around the Moon and back. The mission was a vital test of the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, paving the way for future lunar exploration and eventually Mars missions.

3. He has four daughters and a wife whom he loves dearly.

Upon landing from space, NASA held a press conference where Glover expressed deep love and gratitude for his wife and four daughters, whom he referred to as:

“Five beautiful cocoa skin ladies.”

He and his wife Dionna share four beautiful daughters named Genesis, Maya, Joia, and Corinne, according to The Root.

In 2024, fans saw the sweet bond he shares with his daughter Corinne in the PBS documentary The Color of Space. When she asked if he ever got scared going into deep space, he replied:

“Well, scared is the wrong word to use. I have a respect for these things. Your whole life, I’ve flown high-performance aircraft, deployed on ships, and those all have dangers and risks associated with them. It makes me want to work very hard, so I can come home to you all.”

4. He was the first African American astronaut to stay on the ISS long-term.

Victor Glover made history as the first Black astronaut to live and work aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for a long-duration mission. He hit the huge milestone after becoming the flight engineer on Expedition 64 and pilot of SpaceX Crew-1, arriving at the ISS in November 2020. After 168 days in orbit, he and the crew returned to Earth in May 2021.

5. He had extensive pre-flight training.

According to NASA, following commissioning, Glover trained in Pensacola, Florida, and completed advanced flight training in Kingsville, Texas, earning his wings of gold on Dec. 14, 2001. He joined the Marine Fleet Replacement Squadron VMFAT‐101 in Miramar, California, then the Blue Blasters of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA‐34 in Oceana, Virginia. While deployed on the USS John F. Kennedy (CV‐67), he completed a Space Systems Certificate from the Naval Postgraduate School. Later, he attended the Air Force Test Pilot School, flying over 30 aircraft in the U.S. and Italy, earning his test pilot designation on June 9, 2007.

6. He was inspired by astronaut Pam Melroy.

Victor Glover cites Pam Melroy, the second woman to command a Space Shuttle mission, as an inspiration. She commanded STS-120 in October 2007, showing Glover firsthand what a career in space exploration could achieve.

7. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

NASA astronaut Victor Glover is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. founded in 1914. The organization is known for brotherhood, scholarship and service. Victor Glover was initiated into the Omicron Pi Chapter at California Polytechnic State University, making him a prominent member of the Divine Nine.

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