{
  "id": 2765751,
  "title": "Artemis II crew to receive top US space medal for historic lunar journey",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/artemis-ii-crew-to-receive-top-us-space-medal-for-historic-lunar",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-23T10:00:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Science",
    "slug": "guardian-science",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/aug/23/artemis-ii-crew-top-us-space-medal"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Crew members Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen have been awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission. This prestigious accolade, awarded by the United States government, ranks among the highest honors bestowed upon astronauts. Only 30 astronauts have received this distinction thus far, alongside notable figures such as Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, and John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. The Artemis II crew, despite the name of the medal, were honored by former President Donald Trump following a recommendation from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. The crew's mission set a new record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth, reaching 252,756 miles during their 10-day journey, surpassing the previous record set during Apollo 13's 1970 mission. This achievement marks a significant step forward in NASA's ambitious plans to return humans to the lunar surface and eventually venture to Mars. Reid Wiseman expressed the profound nature of the mission, stating that despite the challenges, it was a privilege to be an astronaut and represent Earth. The medal presentation ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, four months after Trump met with the Artemis II crew at the White House. Despite President Trump's earlier comments about his own physical capabilities, the medal ceremony highlights the remarkable accomplishments of this talented crew. NASA plans to broadcast the event live, accessible via the official NASA website. However, President Trump's administration has proposed significant cuts to NASA's budget, including a 23% reduction for the 2027 fiscal year, which has sparked a response from congressional Republicans seeking to preserve critical scientific research initiatives.",
  "summary": "Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen broke record for farthest distance traveled from Earth The crew of the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission have earned the US’s top space medal, officials have announced. Cmdr Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are set to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on 28…",
  "key_points": [
    "Artemis II crew receives Congressional Space Medal of Honor.",
    "Crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen.",
    "Mission set record for farthest distance from Earth at 252,756 miles."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}