Birmingham Native Plays Key Role in Artemis II Moon Launch

Kimberly Robinson, CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, reflects on her 31-year NASA career and the significance of the historic Artemis missions.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:49pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in earthy tones, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise spirals, conceptually representing the complex forces and concepts behind the Artemis space program.A Birmingham native's lifelong dedication to space exploration is reflected in the historic Artemis II moon launch.Huntsville Today

Kimberly Robinson, a Birmingham native, recently had the privilege of witnessing the Artemis II crew lift off on their mission to orbit the moon. Robinson's 31-year career at NASA included supporting the Artemis I mission as a payload mission manager and helping develop the Space Launch System Program, which is responsible for creating the primary launch vehicle for the Artemis program. She once briefed Artemis II pilot Victor Glover when he was an astronaut candidate visiting Huntsville. Today, Robinson is the CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and a member of the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame.

Why it matters

The Artemis missions are a key step in the path toward establishing a long-term presence at the Moon and, eventually, paving the way for the first crewed mission to Mars. As a Birmingham native who has dedicated her career to the space program, Robinson's involvement in these historic missions highlights the important contributions that Alabama and its residents are making to the future of space exploration.

The details

Robinson's 31-year career at NASA included supporting the Artemis I mission as a payload mission manager and helping develop the Space Launch System Program, which is responsible for creating the primary launch vehicle for the Artemis program. She once briefed Artemis II pilot Victor Glover when he was an astronaut candidate visiting Huntsville. Today, Robinson is the CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and a member of the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame.

  • Kimberly Robinson recently witnessed the Artemis II crew lift off on April 1, 2026.
  • Robinson once briefed Artemis II pilot Victor Glover when he was an astronaut candidate visiting Huntsville.

The players

Kimberly Robinson

The CEO of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and a member of the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame, with a 31-year career at NASA that included supporting the Artemis I mission and helping develop the Space Launch System Program.

Victor Glover

The pilot of the Artemis II mission, who was once briefed by Kimberly Robinson when he was an astronaut candidate visiting Huntsville.

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What they’re saying

“It's really incomprehensible. I can't believe it. I remember doing my 5th grade term paper on Wernher von Braun and his rocket team. Never in my wildest imagination would I think that I would ever do something in a center he created.”

— Kimberly Robinson, U.S. Space & Rocket Center CEO

“It's very important that we keep pushing forward and meeting challenges because that's where we're going to find new materials, new drugs to cure diseases that have been around a long time.”

— Kimberly Robinson, U.S. Space & Rocket Center CEO

What’s next

The Artemis II mission is a key step towards establishing a long-term presence on the Moon and eventually sending the first crewed mission to Mars.

The takeaway

Kimberly Robinson's involvement in the Artemis missions highlights the important contributions that Alabama and its residents are making to the future of space exploration. Her journey from a Birmingham high school student fascinated by rockets to a NASA veteran and space center CEO is an inspiring story of dedication and perseverance in the pursuit of scientific discovery.