NASA Astronaut Victor Glover Making History With Artemis II Flight Around the Moon

April 3, 2026

NASA astronaut Victor J. Glover Jr. is making history as the pilot of the Artemis II mission, which launched on April 2 for a 10-day journey around the moon—the first such crewed mission in over half a century.

Who is affected

NASA astronaut Victor J. Glover Jr. (pilot)
Commander Reid Wiseman
Mission Specialist Christina Koch
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen
Glover's family and supporters across the country
NASA's flight control team
NASA's Search and Rescue Mission Office personnel
The broader community following this historic mission

What action is being taken

The Artemis II crew is currently orbiting on a 10-day flight around the moon (launched April 2)
The mission is testing deep space systems including the Orion capsule, spacesuits, landing and recovery procedures, and the flight control team
The spacecraft is traveling roughly 700,000 miles, looping around the moon

Why it matters

This mission represents the first time humans have traveled around the moon in more than 50 years, marking a crucial step toward returning astronauts to the lunar surface. It serves as a vital testing phase for all systems and procedures needed for future lunar landings, operating in a much more hostile environment than the low Earth orbit missions astronauts have conducted for the past 25 years on the International Space Station. Additionally, Glover's participation as the first Black astronaut to travel into deep space represents a historic milestone in space exploration and serves as an inspiration for underrepresented communities.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer