Trump to award Artemis II crew Congressional Space Medal of Honor

U.S. President Donald Trump honored the Artemis II crew with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on Friday, recognizing their historic lunar fly-by earlier this year. The ceremony took place at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas, where President Trump presented the medals to U.S. astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen, who became the first non-NASA astronaut to receive the prestigious award.

During his remarks, Trump praised Hansen as a "master of science and physics" and a "fighter pilot — a great one — and a beloved member of the astronaut team." The president called the astronauts "four intrepid space heroes" and emphasized that their pride came not from themselves, but from the grit of their families, the NASA team, and the international community that supported the mission.

The Artemis II crew completed a 10-day mission around the moon on April 10, making them the first humans to travel beyond the moon in over 50 years and traveling further in space than any humans before. They also became the first astronauts to fly aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft, which will be used for future Artemis missions. The crew's historic journey included a fly-by of the moon, with the spacecraft expected to be utilized for upcoming missions.

After the presentation of the medals, mission commander Reid Wiseman highlighted the efforts of all those involved in the Artemis II mission, including the families, NASA team, and international partners who supported the mission. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other dignitaries participated in the packed ceremony at the Johnson Space Center, which serves as home to Mission Control.

President Trump also announced the creation of a U.S. Space Academy for the Space Force, as well as NASA and the commercial space community during the ceremony. He expressed his commitment to returning Americans to the moon before the end of his term, with Mars being the next target "very shortly."

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is also a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, announced that he would be transitioning from his full-time role at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to become a reservist. Hansen will have the opportunity to work with the Canadian Armed Forces when needed. This September, after 32 years of military service and 17 years as a CSA astronaut, Hansen will be flying around the Moon on Artemis II.