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Artemis II Crew: The four astronauts who flew NASA’s Artemis II mission have received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their service during the historic lunar mission. President Donald J. Trump presented the awards to Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen on August 28 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. They are the first recipients of the prestigious award since 2023. The honour follows Artemis II, the first crewed mission of NASA’s Artemis program, which sent the four astronauts around the Moon and safely back to Earth.

Artemis II Crew Honoured for Historic Lunar Mission

Wiseman served as the mission commander, while Glover was the pilot of NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Koch and Hansen served as mission specialists. The crew launched aboard NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on April 1 and travelled aboard the Orion spacecraft, which they named Integrity. The mission ended with a safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. During the mission, the astronauts travelled 252,756 miles from Earth, setting a new record for the farthest distance humans have ever travelled from the planet. The previous record had been held by the Apollo 13 crew since 1970. Across the full mission, Artemis II covered 695,081 miles, including its lunar flyby.

What Is the Congressional Space Medal of Honor?

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was authorized by Congress in 1969 to recognize astronauts who distinguish themselves through exceptionally brave and meritorious efforts while performing their duties, as well as contributions to the welfare of the nation and humanity.

With the Artemis II crew receiving the award, there are now 34 recipients since the beginning of the U.S. space program. Previous recipients include astronauts from the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia missions, who received the honor posthumously. The award is presented by the U.S. president based on recommendations from the NASA administrator.

Artemis II Sets the Stage for Future Moon Missions

Artemis II was an important step in NASA’s broader Artemis campaign. The mission tested the crewed Orion spacecraft and SLS system during a crewed journey around the Moon, while also allowing astronauts to conduct scientific investigations intended to support future human spaceflight. The next major step is Artemis III, which NASA currently plans as a 2027 demonstration mission in low Earth orbit.

Rather than sending astronauts to the lunar surface, the mission will test one or both commercial human landing systems and demonstrate rendezvous and docking operations with Orion. NASA currently targets 2028 for Artemis IV, which is planned to become the first crewed Artemis mission to land astronauts on the Moon.

Four Astronauts Share Recognition With Mission Teams

The Artemis II crew also recognized the wider workforce behind the mission, including NASA personnel, engineers, scientists, launch and landing teams, mission controllers, industry partners and international contributors. Hansen’s recognition also highlights the international partnership behind Artemis II.

As a Canadian Space Agency astronaut, he represented Canada during the mission and shared the recognition with teams in Canada, the United States and other international partners involved in making the flight possible. His participation also made Artemis II the first crewed lunar mission to include a Canadian astronaut.

Why the Artemis II Award Matters

The Congressional Space Medal of Honor places Artemis II among the most highly recognized achievements in U.S. human spaceflight. The crew’s record-setting journey also marked an important step from earlier uncrewed Artemis missions toward NASA’s plans for continued human exploration around and on the Moon.

The mission demonstrated the crewed SLS and Orion system in deep space while giving NASA valuable experience for the next stages of the Artemis campaign. The recognition comes as NASA prepares for the next missions in the program, with Artemis III and Artemis IV expected to build on the systems and experience developed through Artemis II.

Artemis II Supports NASA’s Long-Term Exploration Plans

NASA says the Artemis missions are intended to go beyond individual lunar flights, with the agency planning a series of missions to explore more of the Moon and establish an enduring presence on the lunar surface. The campaign is also expected to help prepare for future human missions to Mars.

Artemis II’s crewed flight around the Moon therefore provides experience that NASA can build on as it moves toward longer-term lunar exploration. The agency says these missions will help set the stage for eventually sending the first astronauts to Mars, extending the Artemis program’s goals beyond the Moon itself.

Conclusion

The Artemis II crew — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — has received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for their service during the historic lunar mission. President Trump presented the awards at NASA’s Johnson Space Center on August 28, recognizing a mission that carried humans farther from Earth than ever before.

With Artemis III planned as a 2027 low-Earth-orbit demonstration mission and Artemis IV targeted for 2028, the recognition comes as NASA moves ahead with the next phase of its Artemis campaign.