Trump honors Artemis II crew
What's the story
The astronauts of Artemis II, who made a historic lunar flyby earlier this year, have been awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. The award was presented by President Donald Trump at a ceremony held at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday. The four-member crew, which included three Americans and one Canadian, set a new distance record for humanity during their April mission.
New initiative
Trump announces new US space academy
Along with the medal presentation, President Trump also announced the establishment of a US Space Academy for the Space Force, NASA, and the commercial space industry.
The exact location of this new academy is yet to be decided.
"Space is the hot thing," said Trump while addressing a packed audience at Johnson Space Center.
Mission details
Artemis II crew set a new distance record for humanity
The Artemis II crew, which included Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada's Jeremy Hansen, became the first astronauts to fly to the Moon in over 50 years.
They came within 6,545km of the lunar surface while testing NASA's new Orion capsule.
The mission was launched aboard NASA's new Moon rocket from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre.
Future plans
NASA's Artemis program aims to return humans to Moon
Though the Artemis II crew didn't land on the Moon, their mission has set the stage for next year's Artemis III docking rehearsal in Earth's orbit.
The actual Moon landing by two astronauts, near the lunar south pole, could happen as early as 2028.
President Trump has promised that Americans will return to the Moon before his term ends and Mars is next "very shortly."
Honorary recognition
Astronauts join elite group of recipients
The Artemis II crew, who have received the prestigious Congressional Space Medal of Honor, now joins an elite group of 30 astronauts.
The award has been given to many posthumously after their tragic deaths in spaceflight-related incidents.
Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong was the first recipient in 1969 for his iconic words "That's one step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
Gesture of gratitude
Trump calls US astronauts aboard ISS, informs them about academy
At the end of the two-hour ceremony, the Artemis II astronauts presented President Trump with his own blue flight jacket with space patches.
This was a promise they had made during their White House visit after their mission.
The President then rushed over to Mission Control and called three US astronauts aboard the International Space Station, informing them about the new US Space Academy.