Astronaut Victor Glover Recalls Artemis II Landing, Likens End to Diving Off 'Skyscraper Backwards'

Why It Matters

Glover’s vivid account of Artemis II’s re‑entry offers critical data for NASA’s safety refinements and builds public confidence in crewed deep‑space travel.

Key Takeaways

• Glover describes reentry as 13‑minute intense parachute sequence
• Drogue release triggers brief free‑fall feeling like skydiving
• Main parachutes deploy, providing "glorious" stabilization after yo‑yo motion
• Glover likens sensation to diving off skyscraper backwards
• Experience offers rare insight into deep‑space return dynamics

Summary

Astronaut Victor Glover answered a media question about the Artemis II splash‑down, describing the 13‑minute, 36‑second re‑entry sequence that culminated in the crew capsule’s ocean landing. He walked through each phase – from the drogue parachutes’ release, through a brief free‑fall period, to the main parachutes’ deployment – and highlighted how the vehicle’s dynamics felt to him personally.

Glover noted that the drogue deployment produced a “yo‑yo” motion as the chutes inflated and then cut away, returning the capsule to a short free‑fall before the main parachutes fired. He compared that fleeting sensation to “diving off a skyscraper backwards” for five seconds, a vivid analogy that underscores the intensity of the moment. He also referenced a similar experience in SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, noting subtle differences in parachute sequencing.

A memorable quote from Glover was that the moment the mains opened was “glorious,” emphasizing the relief and safety felt after the turbulent descent. He admitted never having sky‑dived or base‑jumped, yet the comparison resonated with audiences, translating a technical event into an accessible human experience.

These firsthand observations provide rare insight into the physical stresses of returning from deep space, informing NASA’s safety analyses and public communication. Understanding crew sensations helps refine training, vehicle design, and emergency protocols for future Artemis missions and eventual lunar surface operations.

Original Description

Less than a week after completing a historic trip around the moon, NASA's Artemis II crew made one of their first public appearances together.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen, took questions from the media during an April 16 news conference, NASA announced. The event came almost a week since the astronauts returned to Earth after a 10-day journey that saw them swinging by the moon without landing.

How Artemis II united America: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2026/04/10/artemis-ii-moon-mission-goals-future-united/89541218007/

🎥: NASA

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