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The phone rings—it’s a go for launch. At last, you receive the call for which you have been hoping, waiting, and praying. Every year of training, every grueling workout, and every flight has led to this singular moment. Now, it’s time to journey around the Moon, with the entire world watching, praying, and cheering you on.
Find out when your state prays.
Excitement surges through you—electric, undeniable—yet it is intertwined with a quiet ache. The weight of leaving your family presses heavily on your heart. You feel both exhilaration and sorrow, knowing the risks and understanding that there are no guarantees you will return. It is a bittersweet, dichotomous moment.
Reid Wiseman (Commander – NASA), Victor Glover (Pilot – NASA), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist – NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist – CSA) set out on April 1, 2026, to test the Orion spacecraft’s systems in deep space to prepare for future lunar landings on the Artemis II mission.
The approximately 10-day mission, launched from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, soared beyond Earth’s grasp atop the agency’s powerful Moon rocket. This was the first crewed flight to the moon in over fifty years. Over the course of roughly two days, the crew checked Orion’s systems and conducted a targeting demonstration test near Earth before beginning their journey toward the Moon.
With the European-built service module providing the necessary thrust, the spacecraft achieved the powerful push needed to break free from Earth’s orbit and set course for the Moon. This maneuver sent the astronauts on an outbound journey of approximately four days, carrying them around the far side of the Moon, and into a sweeping figure-eight trajectory extending more than 230,000 miles from Earth. At their farthest point, the crew traveled nearly 4,600 miles beyond the Moon.
On their return, the crew harnessed a fuel-efficient trajectory within the Earth–Moon gravitational field, allowing the spacecraft to be guided naturally back toward Earth. After its journey around the far side of the Moon, Orion was pulled home by Earth’s gravity during the free-return portion of the mission, eliminating the need for additional propulsion.
Before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, the crew endured a high-speed, high-temperature reentry through Earth’s atmosphere. Following splashdown, recovery teams from NASA and the United States Department of Defense safely retrieved the spacecraft and returned the astronauts to shore- a triumph on the world stage.
On Resurrection Day, April 5, 2026, the crew of Artemis II was interviewed. The interviewer asked whether the crew had a message to share, similar to Apollo 8, which delivered a memorable Christmas Eve reading from the Book of Genesis.
Glover answered, “You know, I don’t have anything prepared. I uh, I am glad you brought that up, though. I think these observances are important. And as we are so far from Earth and looking at the beauty of creation ….for me one of the important personal perspectives that I have up here is I can really see Earth as one thing. You know, when I read the Bible, and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created. You have this amazing place, this spaceship. You guys are talking to us because we are in a spaceship really far from Earth. But you’re on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live in the universe…in the cosmos. Maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you, and I am trying to tell you, just trust me…. you are special and all of this emptiness… this is a whole bunch of nothing…this thing we call the universe. You have this oasis…this beautiful place that we get to exist together. I think as we go into Easter Sunday… thinking about…you know, all the cultures all around the world whether you celebrate it or not, whether you believe in God or not, this is an opportunity for us to remember where we are, who we are, and that we are the same thing and that we have to get through this together.”
Victor Glover is a Captain in the United States Navy, a naval aviator, and a test pilot, in addition to being a NASA astronaut assigned to the Artemis II. He previously served as an F/A-18 Hornet pilot with VFA-34, the “Blue Blasters,” during Operation Iraqi Freedom. We give God thanks for his service to our country and for protecting him throughout every training and every mission.
Moments before reaching the far side of the Moon, and losing communication with Earth, Captain Glover shared a heartfelt message:
“Christ said, in response to what was the greatest command, that it was to love God with all that you are. And He also, being a great teacher, said the second is equal to it, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself. And so, as we prepare to go out of radio communication, we’re still going to feel your love from Earth—and to all of you down there on Earth, and around Earth, we love you from the Moon.”
Since the crew’s safe return, videos of Captain Glover speaking outside his home in Texas have circulated on social media. In one clip, he said, “God told us to love Him with all that we are and love our neighbors as ourselves.” He encouraged his neighbors to talk with one another and to spend more time together, expressing a genuine and heartfelt love for those around him.
At the press briefing following the successful mission, Captain Glover chose to give glory to God. He said, “When this started on April 3rd, 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.”
When Captain Glover was asked about being the first Black astronaut selected for a lunar mission—Artemis II—he responded that the milestone is significant for human history as a whole rather than just black history. He has said, “We need Jesus – whether on earth or circling the moon. There are no atheists on top of rockets.”
He has also shared his deep gratitude for NASA’s support of religious accommodation, noting that he and his family were able to continue worshiping and walking in their faith—even while he was off the planet. In one especially powerful expression of that devotion, he even participated in communion while in outer space, carrying his faith with him beyond Earth itself.
In a world where the loudest voices are often negative, vile, or evil, it is invigorating to hear the words of this remarkable man who has just returned from a historic lunar flight around the Moon. What an honor it is to have him as a role model for people of all ages, but especially for our young people—hardworking, committed, disciplined, and strong, and, most of all, a man who seeks the Lord and desires to honor Him both on Earth and in space.
What a time to be alive, to witness what we are witnessing, with this successful lunar mission standing as one of the significant milestones in our nation and in the world. The level of discipline, expertise, and training required to accomplish a successful lunar mission is beyond what the majority of people could—or would—endure, yet we see in Captain Glover not arrogance or pride, but rather humility, and, most importantly, a resounding praise to our Lord. I am certain He is delighted.
As Captain Glover described the vast emptiness of space, it brought to mind that the immensity of the universe is only the tip of the iceberg in light of eternity. Let us follow his example and make every single moment matter—every victory, big or small, every act of service, every public acknowledgment of success, and every moment spent with our families, serving God, serving our communities, and serving our country—all centered on our Savior, Jesus. Let us give Him all the glory in all that we do. Let us walk out the greatest commandment: “to love the Lord your God with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV) Let us recognize the eternal value of what we sew here on earth.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1 NKJV)
Thank God for the bold witness of Captain Glover. Share this article and leave a prayer below.
April Walker loves God and seeks to serve Him in all she does. She is a proud mom of a 19-year old son, a PA State Co-leader for IFA, a former School Board Director, an organizer for NDOP and ASHP events, a candidate for the GOP Committee for Carbon County, an occupational Therapist, and a vocalist. She feels that writing for and working with IFA brings all her passions together. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls.
