The crew of the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission has been selected to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the highest space-related award in the United States. NASA officials announced that Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are scheduled to accept the honor on 28 August. The ceremony will take place at the Johnson Space Center in Houston at 11am, with a live stream available at www.nasa.gov/live.
The selection of the crew was made by Donald Trump, following a recommendation from NASA administrator Jared Isaacman. This recognition places the four astronauts among an exclusive group; NASA records show that only 30 individuals have previously received the medal. Past recipients include iconic figures such as Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, as well as crews who lost their lives in the Apollo 1 fire and the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle explosions. The most recent recipients were Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, who were honored in 2023 for their 2020 mission as the first astronauts to launch into orbit on a commercial spacecraft.
During their 10-day mission, which began on 1 April, the Artemis II crew established a new record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth. They reached a distance of 252,756 miles (406,771km) while swinging above the lunar surface, surpassing the 1970 record of 248,655 miles set by Apollo 13. Additionally, the mission achieved a historic milestone as Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian, became the first non-US citizen to fly to the moon.
Reflecting on the mission after a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, Commander Wiseman described the experience as a blend of a lifelong dream and the eventual desire to return to family and friends. He noted, "It’s a special thing to be a human, and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth." The upcoming ceremony follows a visit by the crew to the White House four months ago, where the president, who turned 80 in June, remarked to the astronauts, "I would have had no trouble making it – I’m physically very, very good."
The administration has sought to highlight the crew’s achievements despite proposing a 23% budget cut for NASA for the 2027 fiscal year, which includes a 46% reduction for space science initiatives. In response, a House commerce, justice and science subcommittee led by the Republican party has advanced a separate budget proposal intended to maintain the science projects the president has aimed to eliminate.
