President Donald Trump will award the Congressional Gold Medal to the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission, according to a White House announcement. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the White House on September 15, 2026.
The Artemis II crew includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission, which launched on November 3, 2025, completed a 10-day flyby of the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor bestowed by the U.S. Congress. The award recognizes the crew's contributions to space exploration and their role in advancing NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon.
The announcement was made during a ceremony at the White House, where Trump praised the astronauts for their bravery and dedication. The medal will be presented in a formal ceremony later this year.
