Leading the crew is Victor Glover, who is set to become the first Black man to travel into deep space.
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — As NASA prepares to send astronauts back toward the moon, one North Texas family is watching closely — knowing history will include someone they call their own.
The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon, marking the first time humans have traveled that far into space in more than 50 years.
Piloting the crew is Victor Glover, who is set to become the first Black man to travel into deep space.
For Aneesha Ross, Glover’s cousin, the moment is deeply personal.
“Seeing him grow up and be the man that he is, is absolutely phenomenal,” Ross said.
The mission will travel roughly 700,000 miles, looping around the moon before returning to Earth. It is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface.
For Glover, the milestone is about more than making history. “I also hope that we are pushing the other direction, that one day we don’t have to talk about these firsts,” he said in a previous interview.
Back on Earth, his family says pride is hard to put into words.
“To make that history and be in our family, it is just … words really can’t explain,” Ross said.
Glover’s father is in Florida near the launch site, where he spoke with his son ahead of liftoff. “He had a big smile on his face … he was ready,” said Mr. Victor Glover.
While millions are expected to watch the launch, Glover said they are already thinking about when the crew makes a safe return.
“We’ll be glued to a laptop or a computer or a TV watching that splashdown when it happens,” his father said.