Congress proposed awarding astronauts with the Gold medal

A bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to award the Artemis II mission crew the Congressional Gold Medal — the nation's highest civilian honor — in recognition of their historic flight around the Moon. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

The initiative is being seen as a tribute to the crew's extraordinary courage in becoming the first humans in over 50 years to travel to the vicinity of the Moon and advance deep space exploration. The bill was sponsored by Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona and former NASA astronaut, and Representative Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska.

The legislation names NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. Bipartisan support for the measure underscores the mission's significance not only as a scientific achievement but also as a strategic milestone for the United States.

The Artemis II mission saw its crew travel farther from Earth than any humans in history, flying around the far side of the Moon. They set a new record for the greatest distance from Earth ever reached by a crewed spacecraft — approximately 406,771 kilometers.

This accomplishment signals a new era in humanity's ability to operate in deep space. Beyond distance, the mission was also recognized for its technological accomplishments.

The crew successfully transmitted high-definition video from lunar orbit in real time for the first time. Additionally, they conducted the first-ever voice communication between a spacecraft in deep space and the International Space Station — a critical capability for future long-duration missions.

The Congressional Gold Medal is among the nation's highest civilian honors, ranking alongside the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In the field of space exploration, only a select few individuals have previously received this honor.

Among them are the Apollo 11 crew — Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins — and John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. If enacted, the Artemis II crew would become one of the smallest groups ever to be collectively awarded the medal.

Additionally, bronze duplicates of the medal, to be produced by the U.S. Mint, would be made available for sale to collectors, with proceeds intended to help offset production costs. The Artemis II mission represents a vital step in humanity's return to the Moon and the eventual establishment of a sustained lunar presence.

According to members of Congress, this honor is a fitting tribute to those who have rekindled American leadership in space after a half-century hiatus and inspired a new generation of explorers.