Trump to award Congressional Space Medal of Honor to Artemis II astronauts
- Date:
- August 24, 2026
- Source:
- NASA
- Summary:
- The Artemis II crew will receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor after becoming the first humans in more than 50 years to travel beyond the Moon. Their 10-day Orion mission also carried them farther into space than anyone in history.
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President Donald J. Trump will present the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to each member of NASA's Artemis II crew during a ceremony at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28.
The medal is one of the highest honors associated with human spaceflight in the United States. It recognizes astronauts whose achievements have made an exceptional contribution to the nation's space program.
Artemis II Made Human Spaceflight History
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, completed a 10-day mission around the Moon on April 10.
The flight marked the first time astronauts had traveled aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft, which is designed to carry crews on missions beyond low Earth orbit. Artemis II served as a major test of the spacecraft and its systems with humans on board.
During the mission, the crew became the first people in more than 50 years to travel beyond the Moon. They also ventured farther into space than any humans had ever traveled before, setting a new distance record for human spaceflight.
A Major Honor for the Artemis II Crew
The Aug. 28 ceremony will recognize the crew's role in advancing NASA's Artemis program and returning astronauts to deep space.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will join President Trump and the four astronauts for the awards ceremony at Johnson Space Center.
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