President Honors NASA’s Artemis II Crew with Highest US Space Award

President Donald J. Trump bestowed NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on August 28, 2026, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The ceremony honored the crew for their exceptional service during the Artemis II mission, marking the first such award since 2023.

The mission, which launched on April 1, 2024, and concluded on April 10, 2024, was a milestone for NASA, as it saw the crew become the first to launch on the agency's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with Orion spacecraft named Integrity. The crew traveled 252,756 miles from Earth, breaking the previous record set by Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970, and flew a total of 695,081 miles, which included a lunar flyby.

President Trump praised the crew's courage and dedication, stating that they represented the best of American leadership and exploration. He also commended the NASA workforce, industry, and international partners who contributed to the mission's success. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman echoed Trump's sentiments, highlighting the Artemis II crew's extraordinary skill and courage.

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was established in 1969 to recognize astronauts who have demonstrated exceptional bravery and meritorious efforts in their duties.