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President Donald J. Trump will award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission on Friday, Aug. 28, during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, according to a White House official confirmed by CBS News and NASA releases. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be recognized for their historic 10-day flight around the moon, which concluded with a safe splashdown on April 10.
Artemis II Crew Set for Highest U.S. Space Honor
The upcoming ceremony, scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT, will feature President Trump alongside NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and the astronauts, as reported by NASA. The mission marked the first crewed voyage beyond low Earth orbit since the final Apollo mission in 1972. During the flight, the crew traveled farther into space than humans had ever gone before while testing NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
According to NASA’s media advisory, the President will give the medal to “each of NASA’s Artemis II crew members.” This phrasing has raised questions among observers about whether Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will receive the U.S. government’s highest space award, or if the presentation will be restricted strictly to the three NASA astronauts on board.
History of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor
Authorized by Congress and presented by the president, the medal goes to any astronaut who has “distinguished himself by exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the welfare of the Nation and of mankind,” according to NASA records. Only 30 individuals have received the decoration to date since its inception.
The prestigious roster includes pioneering space icons such as Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, and Frank Borman. Past recipients also feature crews awarded posthumously, including those who lost their lives in the Apollo 1 fire as well as the space shuttle Challenger and Columbia disasters. The most recent recipients were NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, who received the medal from President Joe Biden in 2023 following their historic 2020 commercial spacecraft test flight to orbit.
Did you know? While the medal bears a congressional title, it is awarded by the president based on formal recommendations submitted directly by the NASA administrator.
Mission Impact on Future Lunar Exploration
The success of the Artemis II mission serves as a critical stepping stone for NASA’s broader Artemis program. The agency aims to use the data gathered from the Orion flight test to lay the groundwork for establishing a permanent human base near the lunar south pole in the coming years.
Public interest in the Houston ceremony remains high, with NASA confirming that the event will stream live across multiple agency platforms. In addition to pooled media coverage, limited media credentials were made available for reporters through the Johnson Space Center public affairs office.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the Artemis II award ceremony taking place?
According to NASA and White House updates, the ceremony will take place on Friday, Aug. 28, at 11 a.m. EDT at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Who are the members of the Artemis II crew?
The crew consists of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
How many people have received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor?
Only 30 people have received the nation’s highest space honor to date, according to NASA records.
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