Spanning a remarkable 46 years, two significant milestones mark the journey of individuals of African descent in the realm of space exploration: the Cuban Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, who in 1980 made history as the first person of African descent to venture into space, and the American Victor J. Glover, who this year will become the first person of African descent to travel near the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis II mission.
The Soviet Intercosmos Program and Tamayo's Historic Flight
On September 18, 1980, Tamayo Méndez launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard Soyuz 38, participating in the Soviet Intercosmos program. Selected in March 1978 from a pool of 600 candidates, he flew as a cosmonaut researcher alongside Soviet commander Yuri Romanenko.
The mission lasted seven days and twenty hours, completing 124 orbits of Earth while docked with the Salyut 6 space station, and concluded with a landing on September 26, 1980. Born on January 29, 1942, in Guantánamo, Tamayo was honored with titles such as Hero of the Republic of Cuba and Hero of the Soviet Union.
During the Cold War era, the Intercosmos program, initiated by the USSR in 1967, included allied socialist countries in space missions with both scientific and propagandistic objectives. Cuba joined the program in 1976, and on June 26, 1980, the Central Committee of the Communist Party approved an official propaganda campaign around the mission. The USSR controlled all technical aspects, with Tamayo serving as the symbolic representative of the socialist bloc.
Victor Glover's Lunar Mission with Artemis II
In stark contrast, Glover's mission occurs in a vastly different context. NASA designated him as the pilot for Artemis II, the first crewed mission around the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972, over 50 years ago.
The mission launched on April 1 from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard the SLS rocket with the Orion capsule. The crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, specialist Christina Koch—marking her as the first woman on a crewed lunar mission—and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, the first non-American on such a mission.
Glover, born on April 30, 1976, in Pomona, California, had already made history in 2020-2021 as the first African American on a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station, spending 168 days in orbit during Expedition 64.
On April 2, the translunar injection maneuver was completed, propelling the Orion capsule toward the Moon. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed that the crew is in good health and the spacecraft is operating smoothly.
It's crucial to distinguish the historical timeline: Tamayo was the first person of African descent in low Earth orbit; Guion Bluford became the first African American in space in 1983 aboard Challenger, being the second Black man in orbit. Glover now holds the distinction of being the first to travel near the Moon.
Artemis II will not land on the Moon but will orbit it, capturing images of its far side and validating Orion's systems with humans aboard for the first time. The lunar flyby is scheduled for April 6, with splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego on April 10.
Frequently Asked Questions about African Descent Space Explorers
Who was the first person of African descent in space?
Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez from Cuba was the first person of African descent to travel to space in 1980.
What is Victor Glover's role in the Artemis II mission?
Victor Glover is the pilot for NASA's Artemis II mission, marking him as the first person of African descent to fly near the Moon.
Will Artemis II land on the Moon?
No, Artemis II will not land on the Moon. It will orbit the Moon, capturing images and validating systems aboard the Orion spacecraft.