He is set to make history again when he flies on NASA’s Artemis II mission, planned for early 2026. This mission will be the first crewed lunar flyby in over fifty years.

At 49 years old, Glover will be the first person of color and the first Black astronaut to travel beyond low-Earth orbit and around the Moon. This accomplishment resonates far beyond the aerospace community.

From Pomona to the Stars

Victor Glover was born on April 30, 1976, in Pomona, California. His journey to space is rooted in hard work and years of dedicated service. He earned a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering from California Polytechnic State University.

He then pursued advanced studies in flight test engineering, systems engineering, and military operational art at respected U.S. institutions such as Naval Postgraduate School and Air University.

Glover was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 1999. He trained as a naval aviator and later became a test pilot, flying F/A-18 fighter jets and completing more than twenty combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In 2013, he realized a lifelong dream when he was selected to join NASA’s Astronaut Group 21. This group has become essential to the agency’s efforts in deep space.

A Pioneering NASA Career

Glover first went into orbit in 2020 as the pilot of SpaceX’s Crew-1 mission. This marked the first operational flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).

While there, he served as a station systems flight engineer and made history as the first African American astronaut to live aboard the ISS for an extended mission. He spent over six months in orbit and conducted several spacewalks.

Glover has said that being in space provided a unique view of humanity and Earth, highlighting the importance of exploration beyond its technical successes.

Artemis II: A New Era

According to reports, NASA announced Victor Glover would be the pilot for the Artemis II crew in April 2023. He will be alongside Commander Reid Wiseman and Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.

This mission builds on the success of the uncrewed Artemis I. The Orion spacecraft, launched by NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, will carry the four astronauts on a journey around the Moon and back lasting about ten days.

While it will not include a lunar landing, this flight is a vital demonstration of crewed deep-space operations. It paves the way for Artemis missions that will return humans to the lunar surface later this decade.

“It is more than an emotion,” Glover said earlier about the Artemis program. He stressed that its influence extends into cultural inspiration for future generations of scientists and engineers.

Why This Matters

To many, Victor Glover’s role in Artemis II signifies a transformative moment in space history. Space exploration has typically been dominated by a narrow range of demographics. His participation in a Moon-orbiting mission represents broader change within NASA and the global STEM community.

“It’s not just about flying,” Glover stated in media appearances. “It’s about inspiring young people – especially those who have not traditionally seen themselves in this field – to know that this is possible.”

In a world where representation can shape aspirations, Glover’s rise to the Moon’s threshold serves as both a scientific and societal milestone. It shows once again that the journey to the stars reflects the diversity and potential of all humanity.

The post Meet Victor Glover: Historic Black Astronaut Heading to the Moon appeared first on Black Elites.

Back in 1961, Ed Dwight etched his name in the annals of history when President John F. Kennedy handpicked him as the inaugural Black astronaut candidate in the United States, as per a recent news release.

However, despite completing the Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) and earning a glowing recommendation from the U.S. Air Force to proceed, Dwight faced disappointment as he was not chosen for the coveted NASA Astronaut Corps, missing out on the opportunity to journey into space.

Fast forward six decades, and Ed Dwight is now poised to embark on Blue Origin’s upcoming New Shepard mission to space, heralding the seventh human flight and the 25th program in the company’s illustrious repertoire, as outlined in the press release.

What makes this voyage even more poignant is that Dwight’s seat has been sponsored by the nonprofit organization Space for Humanity and the Jaison and Jamie Robinson Foundation.

Ed Dwight Career Shift from Sculptor to Astronaut

Before being tapped for Blue Origin’s groundbreaking space expedition, Ed Dwight traversed a diverse career path, transitioning from an early stint as an entrepreneur to crafting monumental sculptures honoring prominent black historical figures such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman, as detailed in the release.

His prolific body of work, comprising over 130 pieces, graces museums across the United States and Canada.

Joining Ed Dwight on the New Shepard-25 mission will be a cohort of fellow adventurers, including Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller, and Gopi Thotakura.

As they journey into the cosmos, each member of the six-astronaut crew will carry a postcard crafted by students as part of Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s educational foundation.

The Club for the Future initiative aims to inspire the next generation to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) for the betterment of humanity, according to its website.

“Club for the Future is dedicated to democratizing access to space through the Postcards to Space program,” the website articulates. “Anyone can illustrate or pen their vision of the future on a postcard, and Blue Origin will transport it to space and back on a future New Shepard mission.

Club for the Future will then mark them ‘flown to space’ and return them to the creators.”

At the time of this report, the date for the New Shepard-25 mission remains undisclosed, adding to the anticipation surrounding this historic endeavor.

The post Ed Dwight, First Black US Astronaut Candidate, Joins Blue Origin’s New Shepard-25 Crew appeared first on Black Elites.