The four astronauts who completed a mission around the moon earlier this year will receive a top honor on Friday.
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NASA’s Artemis II crew will be given the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump at a special ceremony at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman is expected to join the astronauts at the ceremony, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT.
Artemis II mission
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, completed a 10-day mission around the moon in April.
The crew flew aboard the Orion spacecraft, which launched from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on April 1.
The astronauts captured thousands of images of the lunar surface—providing views never before seen by humans.
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The historic mission marked the first time humans returned to the moon in more than 50 years.
What is the Congressional Space Medal of Honor?
The Congressional Medal of Honor is a special award given to astronauts who have made important contributions to their country and space exploration.
It is awarded by a U.S. president in the name of Congress based on recommendations from the head of NASA.
Only 30 astronauts have ever received the medal since its authorization in 1969. Neil Armstrong, John Glenn and Alan Shepard are among past recipients.Â
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Watch the ceremony
NASA will live-stream the ceremony on its YouTube channel.
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