Trump Awards Congressional Space Medal of Honor to Artemis II Crew

The Artemis II astronauts who flew around the moon earlier this year received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on Friday. President Donald Trump presented the award to the three Americans and one Canadian whose April lunar flyby set a new distance record for humanity. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other dignitaries participated in the ceremony at Houston's Johnson Space Center, which is home to Mission Control. Trump announced the creation of a U.S. Space Academy for the Space Force, NASA, and the commercial space community during the event. Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada's Jeremy Hansen became the first astronauts to travel to the moon in over 50 years, coming within 4,067 miles (6,545 kilometers) while testing NASA's new Orion capsule. They were the first to launch aboard NASA's new moon rocket, which had previously launched only once from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. Although they did not land on the moon, their mission set the stage for next year's Artemis III docking rehearsal in orbit around Earth, with a moon landing planned for Artemis IV as soon as 2028. Trump stated that Americans will return to the moon before the end of his term and mentioned Mars as the next target. He referred to the astronauts as 'four intrepid space heroes' and expressed gratitude to all who contributed to the Artemis II mission. Only 30 astronauts have received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor before this group, with many honored posthumously. Notable past recipients include Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong and other prominent figures in space exploration. The ceremony included participation from dozens of astronauts, including Apollo 17 moonwalker Harrison Schmitt. NASA plans to establish a sustainable moon base near the lunar south pole, which is believed to contain frozen water that could be utilized for rocket fuel and drinking water. The event concluded with the Artemis II astronauts presenting Trump with a blue flight jacket adorned with space patches, a promise made during their visit to the Oval Office. Following the ceremony, Trump contacted the three U.S. astronauts aboard the International Space Station to inform them about the new U.S. Space Academy.