In August 2026, the four astronauts of NASA's Artemis II mission were honored with the United States' highest space award, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. The ceremony took place at Johnson Space Center in Houston, where President Donald Trump presented the award to the crew. The medal recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the nation and humanity through their service in space. The Artemis II mission, launched on April 1, 2026, was the first crewed flight of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term lunar base near the moon’s south pole. The mission lasted nine days, during which the crew—comprising NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen—became the first humans to travel beyond low Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Their journey took them farther from Earth than any previous human spaceflight. The mission captured worldwide attention not only for its historic significance but also for the personal stories and personalities of the astronauts. One of the highlights was observing a total solar eclipse from beyond the moon—an event never before seen by human eyes. This unique experience underscored the scientific and exploratory value of the mission, which contributed to both research and public inspiration. The Congressional Space Medal of Honor is reserved for astronauts who have shown exceptional merit in service to the nation and humanity. The president awards the medal based on recommendations from NASA’s administrator. Only 30 individuals have received the award, including legendary astronauts like Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, as well as the 14 astronauts who lost their lives in the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle disasters. During the ceremony, Trump praised the Artemis II crew for helping the U.S. enter a "golden age of space exploration." In return, the astronauts presented the president with a blue flight jacket symbolizing their mission. Wiseman, the mission’s commander, expressed gratitude for the president’s support, emphasizing how it helped reinforce the crew’s mission to inspire the world.