Victor Glover Advocates for Artemis Equatorial Lunar Landings Over Polar Sites

Victor Glover’s Argument for Equatorial Landings

During an extended discussion at the NASA Exploration Science Forum held at Ames Research Center, Artemis 2 pilot Victor Glover expressed a clear preference for targeting the lunar equator for the first crewed landing of the Artemis campaign. Glover argued that the agency should prioritize familiar terrain similar to the Apollo-era sites to mitigate risk and ensure mission success.

Glover’s primary concern involves the operational constraints of the lunar south pole. He pointed to the potential for medical emergencies—such as an appendicitis—where a crew member might be stranded for up to a week depending on the orbital mechanics of the mission. If it ruptures on landing day, you’re stuck for a week. That’s a big deal to me, and I don’t like that plan, Glover said. The equator gives me opportunity to save that person.

Beyond medical contingencies, Glover highlighted the environmental challenges of polar exploration. Because the sun remains low on the horizon at the poles, the resulting long shadows and glare can complicate navigation and surface operations. You think driving home into the sunset is challenging? Imagine being on another celestial body and going from this room to low sun angle in a suit, he remarked.

NASA’s Current Strategy and Trade Space

While Glover’s comments suggest a shift in approach, NASA’s official stance remains focused on the south pole, driven by the scientific interest in water ice located in permanently shadowed craters. However, the agency has acknowledged the need for flexibility. Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator, noted during a March session of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference that the agency has opened up the performance specification for early landing missions to allow for more agile approaches.

Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist in NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, confirmed that while Artemis 4 and 5 are still slated for the south polar region, specific landing sites remain subject to change. According to Bleacher, the mission planners are keeping that trade space open until the final capabilities of the commercial landers are better understood.

Artemis 2 Mission Status and Engine Testing

As NASA refines its landing strategy, the hardware required for these missions continues to undergo rigorous testing. On March 6, 2024, NASA conducted a 10-minute hot-fire test of the RS-25 engine at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. This test, part of a 12-test certification series, is essential for future missions, including the crewed Artemis 2 flight.

NASA officials stated that the test data is being used to certify an updated manufacturing process for lead engines contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company. The engine was fired for 600 seconds, exceeding the duration required to launch the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and place the Orion spacecraft into orbit.

The Artemis 2 mission, which will carry astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen around the moon, is currently scheduled for September 2025. The subsequent Artemis 3 mission, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface, is pushed to September 2026.

Scientific Planning for Future Lunar Landings

The scientific community continues to evaluate candidate landing sites as the launch dates approach. Dr. David Kring, a scientist with the USRA, is scheduled to discuss these developments during the 2026 ALPO Annual Conference on July 11, 2026. His presentation, titled Exploring the Moon in the Age of Artemis, will focus on the scientific objectives driving the exploration of the south polar region.

Dr. Kring has authored extensive research on candidate landing sites and astronaut traverses, providing the foundational science for NASA’s current Artemis strategy. His upcoming keynote highlights the ongoing tension between the scientific desire to explore high-value polar ice deposits and the practical, logistical hurdles emphasized by astronauts like Glover, who advocate for a more incremental, familiar approach to lunar landing operations.