Washington, Aug 22: President Donald Trump will award the Congressional Area Medal of Honour to the 4 astronauts who accomplished NASA’s Artemis II mission across the Moon, the area company mentioned Friday.
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Area Company astronaut Jeremy Hansen will obtain the honour at a White Home-led ceremony on August 28 at NASA’s Johnson Area Centre in Houston, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman becoming a member of Trump and the astronauts.
The crew accomplished a 10-day mission across the Moon on April 10 aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
It was the primary crewed flight of Orion and carried people past the Moon for the primary time in additional than 50 years.
NASA mentioned the 4 astronauts additionally travelled farther into area than any people had beforehand flown.
The Congressional Area Medal of Honour is among the highest recognitions awarded to US astronauts. It’s authorised by Congress and introduced by the president to people who distinguish themselves by means of exceptionally meritorious achievements and contributions to human spaceflight.
Though Hansen is a Canadian astronaut, he served on the Artemis II crew by means of the partnership between NASA and the Canadian Area Company.
The mission marked Canada’s first participation in a crewed flight across the Moon and made Hansen the primary Canadian to journey past low-Earth orbit.
Wiseman served because the mission commander, with Glover as pilot. Koch and Hansen served as mission specialists.
Glover grew to become the primary Black astronaut to take part in a lunar mission, whereas Koch grew to become the primary girl assigned to a mission across the Moon.
Artemis II examined Orion’s life help, navigation, communications, and different spacecraft methods with astronauts aboard earlier than future missions try to return people to the lunar floor.
The mission adopted Artemis I, an uncrewed check flight that travelled across the Moon earlier than returning to Earth.
NASA views the Artemis programme as the muse for a sustained human presence on and across the Moon.
The company plans to make use of information gained from lunar missions to arrange for the extra complicated problem of finally sending astronauts to Mars.
The programme additionally includes worldwide and business companions contributing expertise, spacecraft elements, scientific devices and logistical help.
India joined the US-led Artemis Accords in 2023, committing to rules meant to advertise peaceable, clear and sustainable civil-space exploration.
NASA and the Indian Area Analysis Organisation have expanded cooperation by means of scientific missions, astronaut coaching and Earth-observation initiatives.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s go to to the Worldwide Area Station additional elevated public curiosity in human spaceflight and strengthened discussions about future India-US cooperation past low-Earth orbit.
–IANS
