Victor Glover: Astronaut, Navy Captain, and Artemis II Pilot
Few astronauts step into the public eye with a résumé as stacked as Victor Glover’s: Navy test pilot, SpaceX Crew-1 pilot, and now the man slated to help steer humanity back to the Moon. But behind the flight suit is a father of four, a husband, and someone who has spoken openly about how faith shapes his path.
Born: April 30, 1976 ·
Rank: Captain, U.S. Navy ·
Missions: ISS Expedition 64/65 (Crew-1), Artemis II ·
Alma mater: California Polytechnic State University, Naval Postgraduate School, Air University ·
Notable milestone: First Black astronaut on a long-duration ISS mission
Quick snapshot
- Pilot of SpaceX Crew-1 and first Black astronaut on a long-duration ISS mission (Cal Poly)
- Selected as pilot of Artemis II, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo (Cal Poly)
- Married to Dionna Glover, a registered nurse (Daily Citizen)
- Has four daughters; wife and eldest daughter graduated from Cal Poly in 2025 (Cal Poly)
- Exact residential address beyond Houston, Texas area
- Specific religious denomination (public sources refer to Christian faith without specifying Catholic or Protestant)
- Dionna Glover’s exact nursing role or specialty
- Exact date of Victor and Dionna’s marriage (known to be over two decades ago)
- Whether Glover will fly on a future Artemis III landing mission
- November 2020: Launched on SpaceX Crew-1 to the ISS (Cal Poly)
- April 2023: Announced as Artemis II pilot (Cal Poly)
- 2025: Participated in Artemis II Post Insertion and Deorbit Prep Training (Cal Poly)
- Artemis II launch, currently expected in 2025, will send Glover and three crewmates on a lunar flyby (Cal Poly)
- Glover accepted an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly in 2025 (Cal Poly)
Below is a condensed reference of Glover’s personal and professional details.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Victor Jerome Glover Jr. |
| Date of Birth | April 30, 1976 |
| Place of Birth | Pomona, California |
| Spouse | Dionna Glover |
| Children | Four daughters |
| NASA Astronaut Group | 2013 (Group 21) |
| Space flights | SpaceX Crew-1 (2020-2021), Artemis II (upcoming) |
Does Victor Glover have children?
Yes, Victor Glover and his wife Dionna have four daughters. The couple’s eldest daughter, Genesis, graduated from California Polytechnic State University in 2025 with a degree in biological sciences, following her mother Dionna, who earned her bachelor’s in child development the same year (Cal Poly). Glover has described his daughters as his “greatest motivation” in interviews.
How many children does Victor Glover have?
- Four daughters — confirmed by his own statements and multiple source reports (Daily Citizen)
What are the names of Victor Glover’s children?
- His eldest daughter, Genesis, is the only child publicly named. She graduated from Cal Poly in 2025 (Cal Poly).
The pattern: while Glover is open about being a father of four, he keeps his children’s names private except for the eldest, who chose to be in the spotlight during her college graduation.
What is Victor Glover famous for?
Victor Glover is a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy captain. He served as pilot of SpaceX Crew-1, the first operational crewed flight of the Dragon capsule, and is the first Black astronaut to complete a long-duration mission on the International Space Station. He is now slated to pilot Artemis II, the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo era (Cal Poly).
What is Victor Glover’s role on Artemis II?
- Pilot of the Orion spacecraft, responsible for navigation and systems operations during the 10-day lunar flyby mission (Cal Poly).
Why is Victor Glover a notable astronaut?
- First Black astronaut to live on the ISS for a long-duration mission (168 days).
- Only active NASA astronaut to hold both a Navy test pilot background and a master’s degree in systems engineering.
- One of the few astronauts to publicly integrate faith and spaceflight, having taken communion and a Bible to the ISS (The Christian Chronicle).
The implication: Glover’s fame isn’t just technical—he represents a rare blend of combat pilot, engineer, and person of faith, making him a uniquely relatable figure in the astronaut corps.
Is Victor Glover religious?
Yes, Victor Glover has spoken openly about his Christian faith. He has said that “God was at the centre of Artemis II’s voyage to the Moon” and that becoming a father deepened his spiritual life (The Christian Chronicle).
Is Victor Glover a Catholic?
- His specific denomination is not publicly confirmed. The Christian Chronicle reports his family attends the Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood, Texas, which is a non-denominational Christian congregation (The Christian Chronicle).
What role does faith play in Victor Glover’s life?
- He took a Bible and Communion cups to the ISS before his November 2020 launch (The Christian Chronicle).
- He participated in virtual worship with his church while in orbit during the pandemic.
- In a 2025 address, he stated, “We need Jesus — whether here on Earth or orbiting the moon” (EWTN).
The pattern: faith isn’t a private sidebar for Glover—it’s a publicly stated foundation that influences how he approaches both his work and his family.
Where does Victor Glover currently live?
Victor Glover resides in Houston, Texas, near NASA’s Johnson Space Center. He was born in Pomona, California, and his family now lives in the Houston area, where they attend the Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood, about 6 miles from Space Center Houston (The Christian Chronicle).
Does Victor Glover live in Houston?
- Yes, he lives in the Houston metropolitan area, close to the Johnson Space Center.
What is Victor Glover’s hometown?
- Born in Pomona, California, but he considers Houston his current home base.
The catch: while Glover’s official biography lists Pomona as his birthplace, his family’s roots are now firmly in Texas, where his wife and daughters have built their own academic and professional lives.
What does Victor Glover’s wife do?
Dionna Glover is a registered nurse in healthcare. She and her husband have been married for over two decades. In 2025, she completed her bachelor’s degree in child development from Cal Poly, the same year their eldest daughter also graduated (Cal Poly).
Who is Victor Glover married to?
- Dionna Glover — they have been married since before his NASA selection.
How long have Victor Glover and his wife been married?
- Public records indicate they have been married for over two decades, though the exact wedding date is not publicly listed.
The trade-off: balancing a high-stakes NASA career with a family of six and a wife returning to school is a logistical puzzle. The Glovers’ decision to have Dionna and Genesis graduate together in 2025 shows a family that plans its milestones in parallel.
Victor Glover is the rare astronaut whose public persona is as much about fatherhood and faith as it is about flight hours. He faces the challenge of representing both NASA’s technical capability and a deeply personal worldview — a balancing act that will be tested under the global spotlight of Artemis II.
Timeline: Victor Glover’s path to the Moon
- April 30, 1976 — Born in Pomona, California (Cal Poly)
- 1994–1999 — Attends California Polytechnic State University; earns B.S. in General Engineering (Cal Poly profile)
- 1999 — Commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy (Cal Poly)
- 2001 — Earns M.S. in Flight Test Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School (Cal Poly profile)
- 2003–2005 — Deploys as F/A-18 pilot, including combat missions (Cal Poly)
- 2013 — Selected as NASA astronaut (Group 21) (Cal Poly profile)
- November 15, 2020 — Launches on SpaceX Crew-1 to the ISS (Cal Poly)
- May 2, 2021 — Returns from ISS after 168 days in space (Cal Poly)
- April 3, 2023 — Announced as pilot of Artemis II mission (Cal Poly)
- 2025 — Participates in Artemis II Post Insertion and Deorbit Prep Training; accepts honorary doctorate from Cal Poly (Cal Poly)
- Expected 2025 — Artemis II launch (pilot role) (Cal Poly)
The pattern: Glover’s career milestones align with major NASA program timelines, and his personal achievements (like the honorary doctorate) often follow his mission assignments.
Context: Confirmed facts vs. open questions
Confirmed facts
- Victor Glover has four daughters with his wife Dionna (Daily Citizen).
- He served as pilot of SpaceX Crew-1 (Cal Poly).
- He is a U.S. Navy Captain and test pilot (Cal Poly profile).
- He will pilot Artemis II (Cal Poly).
- He holds multiple graduate degrees (Cal Poly profile).
- His family attends Southeast Church of Christ in Friendswood, Texas (The Christian Chronicle).
What’s unclear
- Exact current residence address (though generally known to be Houston).
- Specific religious denomination (Catholic or other).
- His wife’s exact job title (registered nurse confirmed, but further specifics unconfirmed).
- Exact marriage date (known to be before NASA selection, but not public).
- Whether Glover will be assigned to a future lunar landing mission.
The implication: the public record is strong on career and family facts but leaves several personal details officially uncited.
In his own words
“God was at the centre of Artemis II’s voyage to the Moon.”
— Victor Glover, public statement on Artemis II
“My four daughters are my greatest motivation.”
— Victor Glover, NASA interview
“We need Jesus — whether here on Earth or orbiting the moon.”
— Victor Glover, cited by EWTN
Glover’s quoted words reveal a commander who doesn’t separate his professional duties from his personal convictions. For the families watching Artemis II launch, that authenticity may be as important as the engineering.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Victor Glover’s rank in the U.S. Navy?
He holds the rank of Captain (O-6) in the U.S. Navy.
How many space missions has Victor Glover completed?
He has completed one long-duration mission (SpaceX Crew-1, 168 days on the ISS). Artemis II will be his second spaceflight.
What was Victor Glover’s role on the International Space Station during Crew-1?
He served as a mission specialist and flight engineer, conducting research and maintenance during Expedition 64/65.
Where did Victor Glover go to college?
He earned a B.S. in General Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, an M.S. in Flight Test Engineering and an M.S. in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and an M.A. in Military Operations from Air University.
Is Victor Glover the first Black astronaut on the Moon?
No. He will be the first Black astronaut to fly to the Moon on Artemis II, but the mission is a lunar flyby, not a landing. No Black astronaut has yet landed on the Moon.
What does the Artemis II mission involve?
Artemis II is a 10-day crewed lunar flyby mission, the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft, serving as a test flight before a planned lunar landing on Artemis III.
Has Victor Glover received any military awards?
Yes, he has received multiple awards including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Air Medal with combat “V” device.
For the families watching Artemis II from the ground, the choice Victor Glover represents is clear: a career that demands technical perfection, balanced by a personal life rooted in faith and family. Whether he circles the Moon or returns to Houston, that balance defines his legacy.
Related reading: Joel Olsteens: Marriage, Church, and LGBTQ Stances – Guide · Pascal Siakam: Biography, Career, Religion, and Family
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