Artemis II crew to receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor on Friday
President Donald Trump awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the Artemis II crew at the Johnson Space Center. During the event, he also signed an executive order to establish the U.S. Space Academy.
Why it matters
The recognition of space exploration achievements and the creation of a new military-style space academy signal a shift in national space policy and institutional focus.
President Donald Trump on Friday bestowed the Congressional Space Medal of Honor on the Artemis II crew, marking their historic achievement during a ceremony at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The crew -- NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen -- traveled farther into deep space than anyone else in history during their trip around the Moon in April . What they learned during their test flight will help NASA return astronauts to the lunar surface as early as 2028 .
"We gather here on these storied grounds to celebrate the immense courage and service of four intrepid space heroes whose sense of daring and adventure led them further from Earth than anyone has ever traveled before," Trump said.
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