Artemis II crew to receive top US space medal for historic lunar journey

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Artemis II Mission Overview":"The Artemis II mission was a historic lunar flyby that broke the record for farthest distance traveled from Earth, reaching 252,756 miles (406,771km). This mission was part of the US's plans to land on the moon and eventually reach Mars.","

Medal of Honor Recipients":"The Congressional Space Medal of Honor is a prestigious award given to astronauts who have made significant contributions to space exploration. The Artemis II crew, including Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will receive this award for their achievements.","

Historical Context":"Only 30 astronauts have received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, including Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon, and John Glenn, who was the first to orbit Earth and later served four terms in the US Senate. The Artemis II crew is the fourth group of astronauts to receive this award since the medal's inception.","

Trump's Support":"President Trump hosted the Artemis II crew at the White House and praised their achievements, stating that he would have had no trouble making it to space himself. Despite Trump's administration proposing to cut Nasa's budget, the space agency's science projects are being maintained.","

Previous Recipients":"Previous recipients of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor include astronauts who were killed in the Apollo I fire and the explosions of the Challenger and Columbia space shuttles. The last astronauts to receive the award were Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken, who became the first to launch into orbit on a commercial spacecraft."}