Victor Glover, a seasoned NASA astronaut, is preparing to take on the role of pilot for Artemis II, a historic mission that will carry humans closer to the Moon than any crewed spacecraft has been in over 50 years. As a key step in NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, this mission will not only pave the way for a lunar landing on Artemis III but also highlight a new era of international cooperation and technological advances in space exploration. Glover recently reflected on his path to this critical moment, the challenges he’s overcome, and what the mission represents for humanity.

Setting a New Course in Lunar Exploration

The Artemis program represents NASA’s most significant lunar initiative since the Apollo missions. While Apollo is celebrated for landing humans on the Moon, Glover sees Artemis as an opportunity to set a new narrative. "Artemis has an opportunity to continue the Apollo story, but I actually think it’s important for this story to stand on its own," he said. For him, one of the defining aspects of Artemis is its inclusivity and collaboration: the spacecraft incorporates components built across multiple countries, and the crew itself reflects international and gender diversity. This stands in stark contrast to Apollo-era missions, which were driven by Cold War competition.

NASA’s Artemis II mission will circle the Moon, reaching distances of over 200,000 miles from Earth—a feat no human has experienced in decades. The four-member crew will test the spacecraft’s systems in deep space, laying the groundwork for Artemis III, where astronauts aim to land again on the lunar surface. For Glover, this represents an unprecedented opportunity. "We haven’t flown that many spaceships," he said, emphasizing the value of practicing manual piloting in such a mission, an element he finds remarkable. His role will involve approximately 90 minutes of hands-on spacecraft control, an aspect that adds both to the mission’s complexity and its significance.

Overcoming Self-Doubt to Achieve Greatness

Glover’s journey to becoming an astronaut wasn’t without obstacles. One of the biggest hurdles he faced was overcoming his self-doubt. "Going to college when no one in my family had gone to college was a huge risk," he admitted. Though confident in his athletic prowess, he initially wondered if he could succeed academically. "I had more confidence in my athletic ability than in my academic abilities," he shared. Despite this, Glover chose to take a leap of faith by pursuing an engineering degree, driven by his desire to challenge himself.

His perseverance paid off, and his accomplishments in academia set him on a path to one of the most demanding and exclusive professions in the world. Glover sees addressing self-doubt as essential to reaching one's full potential: "Swinging for the fence and trying to go get an engineering degree, not just go to college, but get an engineering degree and then go do something challenging and technical, like flying." This determination not only defined his early career but also prepared him for the rigorous demands of spaceflight.

Ambition Fueled by Inspiration

Glover attributes his initial inspiration to the tragic Challenger disaster, which occurred when he was ten years old. "It helped me understand how the general public felt about the astronaut corps," he said. Witnessing the national mourning helped him realize the admiration and aspirations people associate with astronauts. The incident gave him a goal to strive toward—a desire to join the ranks of those who push boundaries in the name of exploration and discovery.

Preparing for an Unprecedented View of Earth and the Moon

The Artemis II mission will offer its crew—and humanity—a rare perspective: Earth viewed from over 200,000 miles away and the Moon from a close distance. Glover recalls a momentary experience of awe during his first mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), sitting at the Cupola window and gazing at Earth. "The sensation of being so far away from everything that you know," he said, left a lasting impact. Yet even that pales in comparison to what he anticipates experiencing during Artemis II.

The technical precision required for a mission of this magnitude is matched by its inherent risks. As Glover noted, this is no ordinary task: "What we do, this is very serious, and it’s very risky." However, the success of Artemis II is critical, setting the stage for Artemis III and signaling confidence in NASA's ability to carry out longer-term plans, such as the development of a sustainable presence on the Moon and eventual missions to Mars.

A Mission with Personal and Global Significance

For Glover, the Artemis II mission is a deeply personal milestone as well as one of global significance. The program stands as a testament to scientific ingenuity and international collaboration, while also serving as an inspiration to the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. By demonstrating unity and shared purpose, Artemis II reflects humanity’s collective ambition to reach farther than ever before.

"I can’t tell you how I’m going to feel when we fly by the Moon and see the Moon up close and the Earth from a quarter of a million miles away," Glover remarked. His focus remains firmly on the mission’s objectives and its larger implications. "If we go out there and we’re successful and we can pass that baton on to Artemis III, that’s something to really be excited about."

Artemis II is much more than a technical demonstration—it is a signal to the world that exploration and discovery are within reach. For Glover, as for many others, it represents a chance to leave a lasting legacy for future generations, proving once again that the limits of human achievement are boundless.