Artemis II Crew to Get Top Space Medal
The Artemis II crew, who flew farther from Earth than any humans in history, are about to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
The update
President Donald Trump will award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission during a ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday, Aug. 28. The honor recognizes the crew’s historic 10-day mission, which was the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since 1972.
Why it matters
This award marks a significant milestone for NASA’s Artemis program, validating the success of the Orion spacecraft and the mission’s ability to carry humans farther from Earth than ever before. The medal is the highest honor the U.S. government can bestow upon an astronaut, placing the Artemis II crew among an exclusive group of spaceflight pioneers.
What to watch
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. EDT and will feature NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman alongside the astronauts. The event will be streamed live on NASA’s official channels. This award follows a period of shifting political priorities for NASA’s lunar ambitions, and the ceremony will signal the current administration’s stance on deep-space exploration.