Artemis II Crew to Receive Space Medal
NASA’s Artemis II crew is set to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on August 28. President Donald J. Trump will present the awards during a ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The honorees are NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Together, they completed the historic Artemis II mission around the Moon in April 2026.
Artemis II Crew to Receive Prestigious Honor
The ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT on August 28. Consequently, the four crew members will join a small group of astronauts who have received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Importantly, the medal is awarded by the U.S. president in the name of Congress. The president makes the award based on recommendations from the NASA administrator.
Artemis II marked the first crewed mission aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Moreover, the crew became the first humans to travel beyond the Moon in more than five decades. They also established a new record for the farthest distance humans have travelled from Earth.
The mission began with a launch on April 1, 2026. After a 10-day journey, the crew completed its lunar flyby and returned to Earth on April 10.
A Record-Setting Lunar Mission
Artemis II served as a major test of NASA’s human deep-space capabilities. The mission carried astronauts around the Moon without landing, providing critical experience for future crewed lunar missions.
Furthermore, the crew represented several historic milestones. Victor Glover became the first Black astronaut to travel around the Moon. Christina Koch became the first woman to make the journey. Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian and first non-American to leave low Earth orbit.
The mission also tested Orion and NASA’s Space Launch System during a crewed deep-space flight. Therefore, its results will help shape later Artemis missions and NASA’s broader plans for sustained lunar exploration.
The Congressional Space Medal of Honor has been reserved for a small number of astronauts. NASA records show that Neil Armstrong received the first medal in 1978, while later recipients included John Glenn, Alan Shepard and other major figures from U.S. human spaceflight.
Artemis II Recognition Ahead of Future Missions
The upcoming ceremony adds another distinction to an already significant mission. Artemis II demonstrated that NASA’s Orion spacecraft and associated systems could carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and back safely.
At the same time, the mission established a foundation for the next stages of the Artemis programme. NASA describes Artemis II as a step toward future lunar surface missions and broader human exploration beyond Earth orbit.
The award also carries an international dimension. Hansen represented the Canadian Space Agency on the mission, making Artemis II a joint achievement involving both American and Canadian astronauts.
Therefore, the August 28 ceremony will recognise more than a successful lunar flyby. It will honour a crew that helped reopen human exploration beyond low Earth orbit after a gap of more than 50 years.
