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Watch President Trump give Artemis II moon astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor today

The Artemis II astronauts, who flew around the moon this past April, will receive the United States' highest space honor today (Aug. 28), and you can watch it live.

Watch President Trump give Artemis II moon astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor today

Today, August 28, President Donald Trump will award four astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor during a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The astronauts, part of NASA's Artemis II moon mission, are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The ceremony will begin at 11:00 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT).

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will also be present at the event. The Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, 2026, is the first crewed mission of NASA's Artemis program, aiming to establish a long-term base near the moon's south pole. The mission's historic nature and the astronauts' charisma made it a significant event worldwide.

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor is awarded to astronauts who have distinguished themselves through exceptional meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the nation and mankind. Only 30 people have received the award, including notable names like Neil Armstrong, Alan Shepard, John Glenn, Ed White, and Jim Lovell.

Written by urgent.news from Space.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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Gong Zizheng, who led China’s planetary defence project, dies at 61

Gong Zizheng, a pioneer of space debris research and a key figure in China’s planned asteroid defence mission, has died at 61. A top government adviser and prominent leader in international space debris organisations, Gong died on Saturday after a battle with illness, according to Chinese media reports. No further details were given.

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