Artemis II Astronaut Shares Thrilling Lunar Journey
Veteran pilot Victor Glover recounts the intense experience of flying and landing the Orion spacecraft during the historic Artemis II mission to the Moon.
Artemis II pilot Victor Glover spoke candidly with the media about what it was truly like to fly and land the Orion spacecraft during the recent lunar mission. As an accomplished naval aviator, Glover was well-prepared for the challenge, having first traveled to space in 2020 as the pilot on the inaugural Crew Dragon operational flight to the International Space Station.
Glover's experience piloting Orion on the outbound and return journey from the Moon was both intense and exhilarating. Ars Technica was able to speak with Glover following a news conference, where he provided a firsthand account of the mission's most pivotal moments.
Nearly a decade ago, Glover and Ars first connected as part of the publication's homage to the Apollo program, The Greatest Leap. Now, Glover stands at the vanguard of the modern Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a semi-permanent base there.
During the Artemis II mission, Glover was tasked with a majority of the test piloting for the Orion spacecraft, a critical role given the vehicle's importance to the future of lunar exploration. From the intense maneuvers required to enter and exit lunar orbit to the heart-pounding moments of the final descent and splashdown, Glover's expertise was put to the test at every stage of the journey.
As Glover recounted, the experience of landing Orion was
Source: Ars Technica
