NASA pilot Victor Glover broke down in tears during his first remarks after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, describing how he had not processed what the Artemis II crew accomplished.
Glover, who has been praised for his on-the-spot wisdom throughout NASA missions, was visibly emotional when asked by Commander Reid Wiseman to share his thoughts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“I have not processed what we just did, and I’m afraid to start even trying,” Glover began, his voice trembling with emotion. “When this started on April 3, I wanted to thank God in public, and I want to thank God again. Because even bigger than my challenge trying to describe what we went through, the gratitude of seeing what we saw, doing what we did, and being with who I was with — it’s too big to just be in one body.”
The audience at NASA’s Johnson Space Center erupted in applause as Glover thanked his wife and four daughters, whom he referred to as “those five beautiful cocoa-skinned ladies.”
“I love you … all of you,” he said before turning to NASA staff and leadership. “While the leadership has changed since 2023, the qualities haven’t. And we are fortunate to be in this agency at this time together.”
Commander Wiseman also spoke during his turn, sharing how difficult it was for families to see their loved ones launch into space. “This was not easy being 200,000+ miles away from home,” he said, noting that before launch it felt like “the greatest dream on Earth.”
Wiseman concluded by reflecting on the privilege of being human: “I’m grateful to be on planet Earth.”
Representative Michael Cloud (R-Texas) followed, stating that the United States and the world “desperately needed this” mission. Cloud likened the Artemis II journey to Psalm 8, saying it reminded him of how humanity is created in God’s image.
The Artemis II crew reached a point 252,756 miles from Earth, setting a new human record for the maximum distance achieved by astronauts. Artemis III is scheduled for mid-2027, with Artemis IV targeting an early 2028 lunar landing.
