The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis II mission were awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on Friday, August 29, 2026, in recognition of their upcoming journey around the Moon. The ceremony took place in Washington, D.C., with Vice President Kamala Harris presenting the medals.
Historic Recognition for Lunar Mission
The crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—received the honor ahead of their launch, which is scheduled for September 2026. This will be the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The Congressional Space Medal of Honor, established in 1969, is the highest civilian award for spaceflight achievement. It has previously been awarded to astronauts such as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and John Glenn.
Mission Significance and Next Steps
Artemis II is a critical test flight for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. The mission will validate the Orion spacecraft's systems with a crew on board, paving the way for a lunar landing on Artemis III.
The astronauts are currently in the final phase of training, with the launch window opening on September 20, 2026. The mission is expected to last about ten days, during which the crew will travel approximately 600,000 miles from Earth.
