President Donald J. Trump presented the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to four astronauts who flew around the moon in April 2026. The crew consisted of Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover from NASA, Christina Koch also from NASA, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. The mission marked the first time humans had traveled to lunar territory since the 1970s.
The astronauts traveled a record-breaking distance of 252,756 miles from Earth during their journey, according to The News International. The award was established by Congress in 1969 to recognize exceptional bravery and contributions to the nation. Trump called the astronauts leaders of a new era in space exploration during the ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, according to a report from houstonpublicmedia.org.
He also announced plans to create a new academy for space training, which would be modeled after the U.S. Naval Academy. The academy will train engineers, scientists, and astronauts for future missions. Trump said the new school would be built to the highest standards, similar to top institutions like the Naval Academy.
The commission that will oversee the academy includes NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and several other officials. The commission will decide where the academy will be located, how it will operate, and what its curriculum will include. Isaacman said the academy would help prepare the next generation of space professionals for missions to the moon and beyond.
The Artemis II mission was part of a larger plan that includes future missions like Artemis III and IV. Artemis III is set for 2027, with the goal of testing orbital operations near the moon. Artemis IV in 2028 will bring astronauts back to the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo era.
Trump had previously hosted the crew at the White House and called them during the mission. Wiseman said that one of the most meaningful parts of the mission was hearing Trump express pride in their work. The astronauts were recognized not only for their personal efforts, but also for the teamwork that made the mission possible.
The ceremony was held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where Trump praised the crew for their achievements. Trump said that America is entering a new golden age of space exploration under his leadership, townhall.com reported. He emphasized the importance of exploring, taming, and winning in space for national pride and progress.
The mission was a major step forward in the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon and prepare for deeper space travel. The crew’s success was seen as a key moment in building a new generation of space pioneers.
IMAGE: U.S. Spacewalk #27 spacewalkers Reid Wiseman and Alexander Gerst. Photo: NASA / Wikimedia, taken 2014-09-29, Public domain