Historical lunar exploration, but focusing on ‘community’ rather than individual achievements

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Victor Glover revealed his philosophy ahead of the Artemis 2 mission, which is scheduled to launch after April 1, 2026. With this mission, he becomes the first black astronaut to leave low Earth orbit (LEO), but he said that sharing his experiences with diverse communities is more meaningful to him than being the first.

In a related interview, Glover emphasized, “We want to listen to the stories of people who are not normally interested in space exploration,” and added, “We are working for them as well.”

The Artemis 2 crew became a symbol of diversity

In addition to Glover, the Artemis 2 crew includes NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA mission specialist Christina Koch, who will be the first female astronaut to leave low Earth orbit, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, who will be the first non-American lunar orbiter.

“I hope this mission serves as an example of how excellence can come from diverse backgrounds and experiences,” Glover said, quoting his colleague Hanson. “We hope that what we do can be a source of unity in a time when division is rampant,” he said, adding, “We’re not just trying to start a movement for unity, because getting to the moon and back really requires everyone’s skills and cooperation.”

10-day lunar orbit flight, followed by lunar landing

The goal of the Artemis 2 mission is to board the Orion spacecraft, orbit around the moon for 10 days and return to Earth. If this mission and Artemis 3, which will perform docking training in low-Earth orbit, are successfully completed, the actual lunar landing is expected to take place on Artemis 4 in 2028.

Glover is a former U.S. Navy combat pilot, served as an F/A-18 Hornet test pilot, and holds degrees in several engineering and science fields. As a pilot for Crew-1, SpaceX's first regular manned spacecraft mission, he stayed on the International Space Station (ISS) for 168 days and had experience performing four spacewalks.

Philosophy of mental composure and simplicity

Glover shared his own philosophy on carrying out the mission. “I really value my emotional well-being and mental space,” he said. “I try not to think in a way that puts pressure on me.” He quoted former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell as saying, “A great leader is a great simplifier,” and emphasized the approach of breaking down a complex situation into simple elements to understand them and find a solution.

Glover reflected on the nature of exploration, saying, "This mission will be recorded as our 10 days of flight, but no one will see the process of building trust with each other by solving problems without procedures in the simulation."