Victor Glover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Victor Glover
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Glover in 2023
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Victor Jerome Glover Jr.
April 30, 1976 Pomona, California, U.S.
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Captain, United States Navy |
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Time in space
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176 days, 8 hours, 1 minute |
| Selection | NASA Group 21 (2013) |
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Total EVAs
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4 |
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Total EVA time
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26 hours, 7 minutes |
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Mission insignia
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Victor Jerome Glover Jr. (born April 30, 1976) is an American naval officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. He was part of the 2013 astronaut class. In 2020, he piloted the first regular flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).
Glover served as a flight engineer on Expedition 64 and Expedition 65. He became the first Black American astronaut to live aboard the ISS for an extended period. In April 2026, Glover piloted the Artemis II mission. During this mission, he became the first person of color to travel near the Moon. He was also one of four humans who have traveled the farthest from Earth.
Contents
Victor Glover: An Astronaut's Journey
Early Life and School Days
Growing Up in California
Victor Jerome Glover Jr. was born on April 30, 1976. His hometown was Pomona, California, which is a suburb of Los Angeles. His mother, Cynthia Maxwell, worked as a bookkeeper. His father, Victor Jerome Glover, was a police officer. Both of his parents are Black Americans.
Glover's grandfather served in the Air Force during the Korean War era. He faced challenges that kept him from becoming an aviator. This family history likely inspired Victor.
Victor's father encouraged his interest in science and engineering. Victor graduated from Ontario High School in 1994. He was a talented athlete, playing quarterback and running back for the football team. He also competed in pole vaulting. He even won the school's Athlete of the Year Award in 1994.
College and Advanced Studies
Glover attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in general engineering in 1999. While at Cal Poly, he joined a student group. He also wrestled and played as a defensive back for the Cal Poly football team.
Later, between 2007 and 2010, Glover earned three master's degrees. He received a Master of Science in flight test engineering from the Air University. He also earned a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Finally, he received another master's degree related to military operations from Air University.
He also completed special programs in space systems and legislative studies. These studies helped him understand how laws are made.
Flying High: Military Career
In 1999, Glover joined the United States Navy as an ensign. He began his flight training in Florida. In 2001, he earned his wings, becoming a naval aviator. He then trained to fly the F/A-18C Hornet jet.
In 2003, he joined a squadron called VFA-34. With this group, he flew missions from the USS John F. Kennedy. These missions supported important operations.
Test Pilot and Commander
In June 2006, Glover was chosen to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School. After graduating in 2007, he became a test pilot. Test pilots fly new aircraft and test their performance. He worked on developing new aviation technologies.
In 2011, he became a department head for another squadron, VFA-195, stationed in Japan. They flew from the USS George Washington. These flights supported maritime operations in the Pacific Ocean.
Before becoming an astronaut in 2013, Glover worked with a senator in Washington, D.C.. He helped with legislative matters.
Throughout his military career, Glover flew over 3,000 hours in more than 40 different aircraft. He also completed over 400 landings on aircraft carriers. He flew 24 combat missions. His callsign, "Ike," was given to him by a commanding officer. It means "I know everything."
Reaching for the Stars: NASA Career
Joining the Astronaut Team
In June 2013, Victor Glover was introduced as a member of NASA's Astronaut Group 21. He completed his intensive astronaut training in 2015.
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Living Aboard the Space Station
In August 2018, Glover was assigned to the first regular flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. This mission was called SpaceX Crew-1. He served as a flight engineer for Expedition 64 and Expedition 65 on the International Space Station (ISS). He lived there for more than six months.
Glover made history as the first Black American astronaut to live aboard the ISS. Other Black astronauts had visited the station during its construction. However, Glover was the first to stay for a long-duration mission as a crew member. This was a significant step for NASA.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named Resilience, launched on November 15, 2020. Glover flew with NASA astronauts Michael S. Hopkins and Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi. They arrived at the International Space Station on November 17. While in space, Glover was also chosen for NASA's Artemis program on December 9, 2020. This program aims to return humans to the Moon.
Glover performed his first spacewalk on January 27, 2021. He worked with Michael Hopkins for over six hours to upgrade the Columbus module. On his second spacewalk, also with Hopkins, he replaced a broken external camera. During his third spacewalk, he and Kate Rubins started work to upgrade the station's power system. This prepared the station for new solar arrays.
On February 24, 2021, NASA shared a video call between Vice President Kamala Harris and Glover. They discussed human spaceflight, observing Earth from space, and future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Historic Journey to the Moon
On April 8, 2023, Glover was announced as the pilot for the Artemis II mission. This mission launched on April 1, 2026, at 22:35 UTC. The crew flew around the Moon on April 6, 2026. Glover was joined by NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen was also part of the crew. This mission marked a historic moment in space exploration.
Life Beyond Space
Family and Faith
Victor Glover is married to Dionna Odom Glover. They have four daughters together.
Glover is a Christian and attends church in Friendswood, Texas. He has often spoken about how his faith inspires him in his career. He even took several religious items, like a Bible and communion cups, to the International Space Station.
Inspiration and Music
Glover has shared that he listens to "Whitey on the Moon" twice a week. This is a 1970 poem by Gil Scott-Heron. He finds inspiration in its message as he commutes to work.
See also
In Spanish: Victor J. Glover para niños
