Christina Koch, of Artemis II, on the mission's impact: "It far exceeded everything we had imagined and hoped for"

U.S. President Donald Trump received the crew of the Artemis II mission this past Friday, August 28. The tribute to NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, to award them the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, took place during a ceremony at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. After the tribute, Koch stated: "The response to our mission here on Earth far exceeded anything we had imagined and expected. We are grateful every time we hear from those who accompanied us on this journey." "As members of this team that took part in this shared mission, we accept this award to honor those who made it possible, from the factories to the clean rooms and the mission control centers," added the mission specialist, according to the official NASA website. Donald Trump presented a Congressional Space Medal of Honor to each crew member. Trump's tribute to the astronauts To recognize the work of the astronauts and their entire team, Donald Trump expressed his gratitude: "Today we are very proud to award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of Artemis II. Please join me in honoring Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—great people, congratulations." "These astronauts did not do it alone; I want to congratulate all the engineers and scientists, everyone at NASA who was part of the success of this mission," he added. Donald Trump (Screenshot: NASA) The crew members' statements after receiving the medal Reid Wiseman, the mission commander, said after the tribute: "It was the greatest honor of my life to fly around the Moon on Integrity with Victor, Christina, and Jeremy." He added: "Having President Trump here, at the agency's Johnson Space Center, to honor NASA and my crew underscores the importance of what our teams achieved." "I look forward to seeing my friends continue this legacy on Artemis III," he added. The crew of the Artemis II mission. NASA Along the same lines, Victor Glover also described what it felt like to be part of the mission: "Piloting the Orion spacecraft in space for the first time was an immense honor, made possible by years of hard work, dedication, and experience of countless people who devoted their time and talent to the mission." Artemis II: a historic mission Artemis II broke a record: the crew reached 406,771 kilometers from Earth, surpassing the mark set by the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. Much of this imagery reflects the six hours during which the astronauts traveled around the far side of the Moon, where they observed a surface marked by cosmic impacts and recorded flashes caused by meteorites. From the Johnson Space Center, scientists followed in real time the data sent by the spacecraft, in what represents the first return of astronauts to the vicinity of the Moon since the Apollo era. Artemis II: the emotional gesture that surprised everyone during the mission and went viral (Video: NASA) The mission was not only visually striking. It also included an intense scientific agenda: the astronauts analyzed 35 points of geological interest, including ancient lava flows, large craters, and historic areas such as the Apollo 12 and 14 landing sites. Among the notable formations are: In addition, one of the most emotional moments was the proposal to name two craters: "Integrity," in honor of the capsule, and "Carroll," dedicated to Commander Wiseman's late wife. "It's a bright spot on the Moon… and we'd like to call it Carroll," Hansen said, visibly moved.