President Trump to Honor Artemis II Crew with Congressional Space Medal of Honor

HOUSTON — The crew of NASA’s historic Artemis II mission, who captivated the world by becoming the first humans to venture around the moon in more than half a century, are set to receive the nation’s highest honor for space exploration.

A White House official confirmed that President Trump will award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the four-person crew on Friday, August 28. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the home base for America’s astronaut corps.

The mission, which concluded with a successful splashdown on April 10, marked a pivotal milestone in lunar exploration. The crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — spent 10 days in deep space, successfully completing the first crewed flight around the moon since the Apollo era.

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor is an elite distinction, having been awarded to only 30 individuals since its inception. Previous recipients include legendary figures such as Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, as well as astronauts who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia tragedies. Most recently, President Joe Biden presented the medal in 2023 to Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, recognizing their 2020 mission that marked the first orbital flight aboard a commercial spacecraft.

Despite the medal being presented "in the name of Congress," the process is initiated by the NASA administrator, who provides recommendations to the President. According to NASA’s official criteria, the honor is reserved for those who have "distinguished themselves by exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and of mankind."

For this latest group of explorers, the recognition underscores the global significance of the Artemis program. By safely navigating the complexities of deep-space transit and returning home, the Artemis II team has paved the way for future human lunar landings and further exploration into the solar system.

As the nation prepares for this week’s ceremony, interest in the mission remains high. For more on the background of this historic recognition, you can read the latest updates regarding the Artemis II crew and their journey toward this prestigious award.